Riding on a Roller Coaster
by MystikIce
Summary: PG13 for later chapters- RR pairing; TV series; Chapter 27, UP! FINALLY! Can Robin break down the wall Raven so protectively builds around herself while batteling Slade's henchmens?
1. Convincible Conversations

Riding On A Roller Coaster  
  
Chapter one: Convincible Conversations  
  
A/N* yeah... pairing: Raven/Robin. that's all I'll say so far. And this  
  
takes place on the TV series. yea...  
  
Summary: Robin decides to take a break from the crime fighting biz for just one day. Can he finally open up Raven and find out what she actually wants?  
  
___________________________________________________  
  
Everybody on the Titan's Team knew that Starfire had a crush on Robin. But what they didn't know was that Raven did too. Yes, sometimes it seemed that Raven, the half human, half demon teenager cared for nothing but clearing her mind and mediating, but in her world it wasn't the same. She'd walk around, spying on him when he played video games with Cyborg or watch him watching the patrol system to see if everything was alright in the city. Sometimes she'd 'accidentally' bump into him when he walked out of the gym room.  
  
"Oops, sorry!" Robin apologized. Raven glared at him for a second or two then relaxed as he rushed down the hall way. She floated without thinking around the halls as well until she reached her room. Sitting on the edge of her bed, meditating, she was interrupted by the scream of one of her teammates. Raven rushed through the halls to find Starfire and Robin smiling. It twisted her heart.  
  
"What's wrong? Did someone break in?" Raven felt stupid because they both grinned at her, knowing from when she walked in that nothing happened. Starfire's eyes light the room green. "Well? I don't want to waste a minute doing nothing but standing on this spot."  
  
"Me and Cyborg decided that we should take a break tomorrow and head to the amusement park!" Raven twitched her lips trying to hide her smile from what Robin just said. Maybe it could give her a chance to finally talk one on one with him. Starfire although, didn't see what was hidden under the surface of Raven's heart and thought up no sweat about it when ever the two conversed such sweet minutes or entertained each other on the couch while he was watching TV and she was reading a book.  
  
"An amusement park, eh?" Beastboy asked as he waltzed in the room with Cyborg laughing at Starfire's happiness.  
  
"Yup, and maybe dark girl here could lighten up a little while we're there. We did set this up to make Raven happy," Cyborg said, already setting up invisible shields from Raven's haughty mouth. Her face went crimson while her jaw dropped. Robin looked at her uncomfortable position and went over to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulders.  
  
"C'mon Raven, it's not like you'll die at the place. Have fun for once in your life time," Robin tried to talk his way into her. Raven knew she was going to go once he put his hand on her shoulders.  
  
"I knew she wouldn't come. Robin, this was your idea!" Cyborg pointed an accusing finger at Robin and Robin started to grind his teeth together. They were starting a friend's quarrel over her. She felt a little under the feeling of appreciation but it still pleased her to know that Robin cared for her well being.  
  
"I only thought she should have a little more fun in her li-" Robin was cut short from Raven's hand on both their shoulders.  
  
"Enough! I will go," Raven growled. Robin standing one centimeter above her smiled at her and said, "I knew you'd go." From the twist of seeing Starfire and Robin together, her soul finally grew wings and landed in Heaven.  
  
Raven rushed back to her room clearing her mind from the excitement and joy until she fell to sleep.  
  
The next day, Raven was gladly interrupted from her endless nightmare by the birds chirping and stood up. It was only 6 in the morning. She knew she was awakening before anyone else so she started to wander off into the bath room to take her morning shower and brush her teeth. As she got out of the steaming tub, she grabbed her towel and dried off her soft hair and brushed it more than several times to make her hair look nice and neat for once, not flat and dead. After that she put on the same apparel that she wore everyday as her super hero costume just in case something bad was to happen while she was out. Her mind lead herself out the door to the roof to cool off and clear her mind some more but found herself not to be left alone as she saw a black cape flying wildly in the wind. Her hood over her head kept her well maintained hair from being snatched into the wind. The only thing you could see under that was her bright glowing eyes. Raven eased near Robin to talk to him.  
  
"Did you think about what rides you'd want to take today?" Robin joked. He was sitting so close to the edge that Raven wanted to plunge onto him before he even fell. But she kept her emotions in check.  
  
"I won't be riding any rides today," Raven said quite secured with her statement, standing next to Robin's sitting form.  
  
"Aw, why not?" Robin inquired teasingly. Raven thought that he would've liked it more if Starfire were up here switching questions with him.  
  
"They are a waste of time and money. There was no point at even building theme parks and amusement parks around the world," Raven crossed her arms.  
  
"Just one. If you don't like it, I won't force you to ride on the other ones with Cyborg and the rest. I promise," Robin said holding out his pinky. Raven was flustered and just held out her hand not to far from her side, thinking it was a handshake of reassurance. To her surprise, he stretched his arm out to meet her hand and swiped her pinky towards him, making her stumble almost onto him but she landed on her knees instead. They stayed in that position for more than a minute until Beastboy popped out of the vent as a mouse.  
  
"Yo! When are we gonna go? Starfire's spazzing out down there!" He changed back into a mouse and crawled back down to the rec room area. Robin and Raven just followed him but not by that way. As they reached the doorway to go down stairs, Robin injected a meaningful sentence into her mind.  
  
"I'll try to win you something while we're there," Robin then disappeared down to the rec room leaving her to hang onto their moments that just happened. She ventured down there to find Starfire and Robin laughing their heads off as Beastboy was chasing Cyborg in a cat form around the couch.  
  
"This is pathetic," Raven shook her head as she passed by Robin and Starfire. But at that moment Beastboy ran into her and she fell onto Robin. They both landed with a thud on the ground. She sat with his legs around her. She got up and wiped the cat hair off of her cape. Starfire immediately rushed down and asked Robin if he were ok, but obviously, he was for he was still laughing at Beastboy's enhancement from a house cat to saber tooth.  
  
"I hate cats! No one turns into a cat and chases me around!" Cyborg turned around and jumped onto Beastboy wrestling him. When he changed back to his near human form, he pounded his fists on the ground while Cyborg (still on him) was bending his legs upward to give his thighs a stretch.  
  
"OK! OK! I GIVE UP ALREADY!" Beastboy shouted. Cyborg threw himself up and gave a lending hand to him and gave him a throw up too.  
  
"Beastie, here, woke me up too early. My system needs a few more hours of recharging. That okay with you?" Cyborg asked. They all nodded as Beastboy changed into a dog and fell asleep on the armchair. As usual, Robin turned on the TV and played videogames with Starfire next to him watching in excitement. Raven who still had her hood on, picked up her book and sat at the opposing end of the couch away from the two others who were awake. She read a few too many horror books for her to last a lifetime. She liked reading, which made her stand out from others in their academic achievements.  
  
Raven stole a passing glance from Robin and he grinned at her. His plane crashed with another plane; which meant that he lost the game which he was playing for 5 straight hours. It was 6:55 in the morning when Raven went out and then when Robin and Raven talked it was 7:15. Now it's 12:30. She was counting the events that happened that morning.  
  
"We better go see if-" Robin was interrupted while he was turning off his video game.  
  
"See if Cyborg's done recharging?" Raven jumped in. "I'll check."  
  
"I'll come with you," Robin added. Starfire looked at him with another grin and continued her day by waking up Beastboy. He barked happily and changed back. Starfire, never noticing how interesting his changing was clapped her hands.  
  
"Where I lived, people could not change into another form," she said as she fluffed his hair up.  
  
"Not many people could change into animals here, Star," Beastboy whispered. Raven smirked which seemed to be forever since Robin last saw it. It made him smile.  
  
"Did I just see you smile?" Robin said, grinning while they walked to Cyborg's room. She turned her head from a slight blush she encountered when he finally spoke to her.  
  
"That wasn't a smile," she muffled under her cloak. She had forgotten to take it off, well, since they were still inside.  
  
"Why don't you take your hood off?" Robin asked. She shrugged and placed her hands on the rim of her hood but kept it there. He pulled it down, revealing softer hair then usual. "Looks like you used a lot more shampoo and conditioner today."  
  
"I knew it would be a long day, so I decided to put in more," she was about to bounce off happily but regained control, "What do you care?"  
  
"I don't know. You look nicer then usual." Robin complimented. Raven's face turned scarlet from that and she disappeared into the doorway of Cyborg's room. "Why doesn't she wait until I put the code in?" He spoke to himself until he finally got the code in. He saw Raven standing near Cyborg's resting area. She inspected the energy level on the wall.  
  
"His energy has completed recharging. What do we do?" Raven asked, poking fingers on the key board of his computer. It slowly started to shut down and Cyborg's snoring got louder.  
  
"Looks like you know," Robin said, almost exiting the room.  
  
"I don't know how to wake him up. People like him are hard to wake up," Raven said. Robin knew it was true. It was hard to wake up Cyborg from even up close. Imagine how loud you'd have to be on the outside of the door. It was no problem to Beastboy. He could easily have woken him up with his shape shifting gift. Robin walked over to Raven who was standing next to Cyborg.  
  
"HEY! CYBORG!!! I BEAT YOUR HIGH SCORE!!" Robin screamed at the top of his lungs. Raven stood there, very still. Cyborg jolted.  
  
"Nobody messes with my high score!" Cyborg angrily yelled. "NOBODY!!"  
  
"Just messing with you," Robin said, lending a helping hand to Cyborg to get up. "Let's go, it's time to go to the theme park." Raven stared at him until he stared back.  
  
"How'd you get in my room?" Cyborg just noticed her.  
  
"Simple, I walked through the door," Raven shook her head.  
  
"Ok, well, now that I know you're joking, I'm gonna go get ready!" Cyborg boomed and grinned. He walked to the bathroom and bathed himself.  
  
"I haven't really talked to you since you came to us. You've been so distant," Robin tried to find out more about Raven.  
  
"It's not like anybody wants to know more about me. I'm just another person, Robin," Raven said harshly. She told the truth. Robin thought differently though.  
  
"I want to know what you like, and what you don't like. What's inside that gothic self you hide so well," Robin convinced her to talk more but didn't really succeed at it.  
  
"You can talk with me later," Raven said.  
  
"At the fair?" Robin asked.  
  
"Sure, whatever," Raven said. 


	2. Rides, Games and Cotton Candy

Chapter two: Rides, Games and Cotton Candy  
  
When they finally reached the amusement park, Raven got out of the taxi they were bunched up in. They took two. Starfire, Raven and Cyborg took one as Robin and Beastboy took the other.  
  
"This is the greatly admired amusement park?" Raven huffed. It wasn't the same amusement park that Starfire got attacked in a few months back (it brought horrible memories); this was a bigger one, with a lot more booths for food and games and bigger and better rides. More rides. 'Great, just the place for me,' Raven mused with herself. She looked glum and a little less passionate about the place than everyone else.  
  
"Cheer up, Raven! We will see many great things and enjoy the taste of cotton candy!" Starfire breezed. She glided up to the ticket center.  
  
"How many people?" the woman behind the glass window asked. She seemed bored enough.  
  
"Let us count, there is Robin, me, Beastboy, Cyborg and Raven! Ah, that is five please," Starfire chirped. She used her fingers making the woman smirk.  
  
"That would be $99.95, please," the woman said. Robin ran up and paid. Starfire thanked him.  
  
"No problem," Robin took the tickets as the ticket manager told him to have a fun day at the amusement park. Once they tore the tab off to the ticket takers, Beastboy and Cyborg headed to the arcade. Starfire bought 5 bags of cotton candy. That left Raven alone with Robin.  
  
"Which ride do you want to get on?" Robin asked. Raven became annoyed that the first thing he said to her was 'which ride to you want to get on?' She shrugged and told him to choose. "Have you ever been on a roller coaster?"  
  
"A roller coaster?" Raven queried. "Those are for babies. I'd rather go on one that makes you scared for your life." Robin looked at her oddly and took her hand.  
  
"C'mon. It'll be fun," Robin ran leaving Raven to fly behind him. They waited in line for a few minutes and finally got to the front.  
  
"Excuse me, but you'll have to take off your capes, you two love birds," the ride manager said. Raven blushed and Robin stared at her uncomfortable posture. Robin ignored it as she finally folded hers up.  
  
"No! No! We're not going out, we're friends. Haven't you heard of us? We're the Teen Titans!" Robin justified their names as the ride manager stared at them as if they were crazy.  
  
"But I've got a special feeling about you two. Just wait, it will come to you," the old man smiled. Raven just shook her head and sat at the front with Robin to her right. It was a small car but it was alright. The train of the carriage for 16 people took off slow and paced it's self to become faster at 70 miles per hour then increased its speed by 25 more MPH. They were going up and down and around and around. Speeding their way through loops making them go up side down gave Raven a frightening feeling the whole time until they reached a big hill. She hid it so well, Robin laughed.  
  
"You have to be scared of this one," Robin said as they inched upwards, waiting for the big fall.  
  
"Robin! There is no time for games right now! There is a hole and we'll fall into it soon if we don't do something!" Raven pointed to the middle of the downward part of the exciting hill. People over heard her and started to shout.  
  
"We're gonna die! Oh hell no!!" Someone in the back cried. The little boys and girl started to beg for their life to someone unknown.  
  
"QUIET! I WILL BE ABLE TO FIX IT IF YOU ARE SILENT!" Raven roared. Robin stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"Shut your self up, bitch! We don't have to be quiet if we die soon!" A man from two rows back yelled. She growled at their misbehavior and focused her attention on the tear of metals. She had cast a spell and with a flick of her two hands, the melted metal wrought itself back to its original position. She kept her mind focused there as they swept downward at a 105 mph average. She didn't even notice the fall until they had to step out.  
  
"You two better be thanked. You saved 16 people lives," the ride lever-manager said and then thanked them. But once they were settled people who were on the ride passed them and made faces at Raven.  
  
"She's like from another planet! I mean, the way she dresses!" a passer by said. The crowd laughed at her and pointed.  
  
"Dude! She is from another planet!" his friend called out and the people who've been saved or witnessed the incident called her either bitch or threw popcorn at her. Raven ignored it, knowing herself that she should've taught those people a lesson in when to thank others and when to throw junk food at them. Robin just patted her on the back, trying to comfort her.  
  
"Don't listen to them, they don't know you like we do," Robin said quietly. Raven pushed back the hand that Robin landed on her shoulder.  
  
"No one knows me," Raven said. Her hair flew this way and that out of rage. The bottles of soda and the window to the arcade cracked causing people in the arcade and Cyborg, Beastboy and Starfire to look up (Starfire joined them when she saw Robin trying to make Raven have fun). She was mad enough that the bottles shattered and splintered, piercing the air and then landing on the cement ground with a crash. She flew up into the air and headed somewhere far away from home.  
  
It was late fall and early winter. The water at the beach was cold but it suited the mood that Raven felt. Tears wanted to be unleashed but she wasn't brought up to show her emotions. She finally cracked the mask of strength that concealed her vulnerability and broke down. Raven wrapped her arms around her folded knees and buried her head at the crook of her elbow. One after another, tears fell straight down to her lap and ran towards her hips. The artic wind finally took a toll on her warmth and she tried to grab her cloak but realized it was left behind at the amusement park. She muttered under her breath about how worse her day could get until the tide rose and splashed onto the rock that she was sitting upon and wet her too. Seaweeds found her head and rested itself on it. Water dripped endlessly from her hair and the some slid down on her nose. She sputtered water out of her mouth and blew her once-soft-but-now-floppy hair to the side but failed in the making.  
  
Raven became so furious that a wave turned and flopped everywhere. Clouds, not on her account, formed and hail started to crack into the dry sand and wet it. They were bigger than her eyes, and splashed the water half her height. She smiled. Raven then got to her feet and accepted the bruises that hit her. She was a bit too tired to not forget the incident that happened earlier and she began to drift over the water creating an invisible and protective shield over her head to their tower.  
  
Meanwhile___________________  
  
"Robin! What is bothering Raven?" Starfire yelled in worry after Raven disappeared into the cloud covered sky. She rushed out the door to greet him in the most apprehensive manner. Beastboy and Cyborg followed suite. They wondered the same thing as well.  
  
"She saved the people on the Roller Coaster ride and now they won't accept her," Robin summarized. Starfire's face drooped and she bit her lower lip.  
  
"Man! That's just jacked!" Cyborg complained banging his fists into the cement wall, causing a small dent. Beastboy nodded in return. But they did realize that she wasn't leaving and that they'll find her usual self in the living room reading probably by the time she went home. Just then, a voice came on the radio.  
  
"Would everyone please go in the restaurant or your nearest building, a hailstorm is approaching and we'd like you to keep safe from injuries, thank you," The voice commanded. "And if you are willing to leave now, there are several taxis for you waiting outside or you can drive home in your cars." Then a click was heard and people rushed into the building or went to the main entrance. The group ran towards the main entrance to reach the last cab that waited for them. Robin sat in front as Cyborg, Starfire and Beastboy squeezed in the back. When they finally got home, they looked for Raven, but she wasn't to be found. She usually didn't respond to acts of discrimination like this but this was different.  
  
For a day and half, Raven didn't come home, but instead, she wandered the streets, and passed by the pizza place where they first met the H.I.V.E's. She ran a finger down a few bricks and walked in. Sitting down, a waiter appeared and asked if she'd like to order. She wanted a small cheese pizza and paid. Eating the cheese pizza slowly, she wondered if she was really made for this world; if she was suppose to be with her father, Trigon in Hell. Or perhaps not even on the team, maybe she could act like a regular human, and be homeless, performing tricks for the circus. She finished and jumped over the walls of the restaurant shaped pizza. Raven then leaped up to fly finally decided to go home.  
  
With a door slam awakening Beastboy in his dog form, he ran to the door and sniffed Raven's shoes. He jumped up and tried to lick her face but she shoved him to the side. He turned back to his usual self.  
  
"What's wrong with you? I was only trying to be nice," Beastboy gruffed. He turned back to a dog and ran to the rec room to play vide games with Cyborg. Starfire over heard Beastboy to see who it was that just walked in the door.  
  
"Raven! You must be tired; we shall bring you to your room! I will assemble the others for the celebration of your return home," Starfire cheered. She flew off into the gym room where Robin was working out then to the rec room to get Cyborg and Beastboy. Raven pitied them and she levitated to her room to take a warm shower. After she was done, she decided not to put on her usual uniform, but pajamas. Her collared, button up, cotton shirt felt nice against her. Her pajama pants as well. When she finished brushing her hair, she pulled half of it up to a ponytail. Her jewel gleamed when she stepped out of her dark room into the light. As she approached the kitchen, Robin was there.  
  
"What happened to Starfire's Welcome Back party?" Raven asked in a monotone voice. Robin smiled at her pajamas; she never wore different items of clothes outside of her room.  
  
"Cyborg and Beastboy want cake if there's a party and Starfire's trying to make a call to the bakery down the street. Where have you been?" Robin asked.  
  
"Around," Raven answered. She got a cup of tea and sipped until it was gone. When the hail storm was gone, there were rain storms with lightening and thunder, covering the sun. Thunder and lightening boomed all around the city and finally succeeded to cause a brownout. Robin jumped at the noise, Raven just casually enjoyed her hot cup of tea and Starfire just repeated the word 'hello?' until she became angry and hung up the phone while Cyborg and Beastboy were hitting each other with the controls.  
  
"There is no one on the other end and the lights are out! I cannot see!" Starfire fumed and then the room became green as her hands powered up and her eyes glowed. Raven then concentrated on the candles around her and they flickered into a yellow orange and the room became brighter. Beastboy and Starfire made their way to the storage room and brought out a lot more candles in which they lit but saved 10 incase the candles melted out. Raven thinking nothing of the darkness sat at the counter surrounded by the dirtiness of the kitchen. Cyborg sat at the couch in the rec room playing a thumb war with Beastboy with Starfire bemused and she clapped her hands in Cyborg's defeat when Beastboy turned King Kong on him. Robin went to watch them as Raven continued sipping her tea. Her boredom caused her to clean the kitchen with her mind and it became sparkling clean, or it would have if not for the brown out.  
  
After a few hours into the night, Raven became bored of cleaning the room and ventured down the halls with a candle in her hand and into her room. She didn't meditate in her room this time. Instead she picked her poetry journal and wrote her first few versus of poems. Raven had never done anything like this before but the dark feeling in her became so sudden and large that she had to pour it onto paper, writing it in a form in which she knows best. If she didn't take time to do this, she would've been corrupted by the feeling of loneliness and susceptibility and turned away from the freak fighting life she led, and her friends, someone she knows she can count on. 


	3. Blood and Pain

Chapter Three: Blood and Pain  
  
After Raven was done with her poetry writing, it was well past midnight and everyone was asleep. She was a bit hungry even though she drank at least a few ounces of tea more than she usually does. It had been a couple of days since she last ate. She pulled out left over lasagna that Starfire effectively made while she was gone and placed a piece on a plate. As she put the lasagna, she was reminded of Robin. She sighed, not dreamily, but in disappointment that she actually fell in like of him, or love, which ever she felt. Raven recounted the things that had gone wrong at the fair: possibly everything.  
  
"Couldn't sleep?" A voice in the dark inquired. He was in his pajamas but still had his mask on for some odd reason. She looked at Robin. Raven shook her head.  
  
"Yes, but I was hungry. Why do you want to know?" She spat. She took out the steaming lasagna and started to eat. "What about you?" she said between mouthfuls. She drooled over the food because she hadn't eaten a decent meal in days.  
  
Robin sat at the clean kitchen counter across from Raven as well, and watched her eat. She threw a malicious look at him, telling him that she didn't want to be stared at. He turned his eyes at his fist on the table and made a beat until she threw another of those looks again. He scrunched up his face in a confused manner.  
  
"We haven't talked yet. In fact, you haven't told anybody what you think of anything," Robin tried to cut through into her inside emotions.  
  
"Everything is pointless. What makes you want to know about me?" Raven read his mind. After she whipped up the last of her lasagna into her mouth, she headed to the sink and cleaned it until it glimmered in the candle light. The counter seemed avoidable at the moment and she thought of getting out of this trap and tried to run away.  
  
"Wait! We haven't had a- err- a point-ful conversation yet and you said you would, maybe now?" Robin acted up in want that Raven felt sorry, no not sorry, but pathetic that she didn't dare let anyone get too close to her. Another disappointed sigh slipped from her mouth. She sat next to him this time. "Why'd you run away at the fair?" Robin asked. Raven let her eyes meet his. Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You don't have to tell me." Robin tried to meet her level of exceptions, but didn't.  
  
"They were pitiable. I saved them and they made fun of me," Raven decided to look at another direction and held onto her cotton pants. Her hair now messy in a half pony tail and her first button of her cotton pajamas was undone. She quickly arranged it back together.  
  
"You could've ignored them," Robin tried desperately to make her show emotions. It's been a very long time since she was able to show any.  
  
"It's not that easy, Robin. Have you ever been neglected when you were a child?" Raven importuned. Robin just shook his head. "Then you'll never know what it's like to be turned away from your own kind and mentally abused!" She looked deep into the flames of the candle light, and using her mind, she made it dance. Robin stared at it too.  
  
"But I have been mentally abused before!" Robin looked forward to Raven's defeat of the illustration of sentiment. She looked down this time to her hands clutching her pants. She took out her hair tie. 'Then I'm sorry' she told him mentally. He looked at her and softened his face. The memories of the murder of his parents came to mind and his eyes, unexpectedly, brought tears out. He banged one of fists on to the table. "Damn it," he whispered. This caused her to look up. She was sad. Not for herself, but for him. She saw the replay in his mind. Raven wanted to hug him but drew back. Instead she gave him tissue and a pat on his back. She felt a flutter in her stomach when she saw the tears in his eyes.  
  
"You have a family now, you're with us," Raven softly spoke. It wasn't like her to use those words in the same sentence but it was worth the try to get spiritually closer to him. He stopped crying and smiled.  
  
"You're right," Robin squeaked out. He returned back to his regular video game beating, crime fighting and adored-by-many world. Even if Raven was the one to keep quiet, he also hid secrets, dwelling inside, ready to get loose and ready to tell somebody, anybody his fears. Raven although, had hid more fears than all of them combined. "What do you think of us?" He blurted out. This made Raven blush. She could tell him how she felt about him. How she exactly felt about him.  
  
"They're- they're what I would call extravagant," Raven ended. Robin just wilted his face. He expected her to say more. She read his mind, and it was obvious that he did care about her, but she wasn't sure if he cared about her in a more than a friend manner. "You - I li- I really care about yo-" She began but an alarm went off. Robin raced to the intercom.  
  
"Titans! Wake up! Emergency!" Robin and Raven ran out to the entrance when the door flew open in front of their faces. Plasmus, Cinderblock and the H.I.V.E.'s were teamed up against them all. Somehow, Slade managed to awake Plasmus and get Cinderblock out of his jail cell and the H.I.V.E's from being corruptive. Raven threw off the slippers she wore around the house and flew straight at Jinx. She punched her in the face.  
  
"Still fighting like a boy, Raven? Where'd you learn to fight? Did Robin teach you?" Jinx growled in fun. Her witch's power was no match for Raven but Raven didn't want her dark side to let loose. Instead she went to her maximum power where she wouldn't turn that way. Raven kicked her full on in the stomach and that made Jinx lean down for a bit. Mammoth went straight for her, but Raven used telekinesis to lift him up.  
  
"Whoa!" Mammoth managed to let out. With Jinx still on the ground, Gizmo wanted to avenge their almost defeat and spiked her in the back with one of his legs.  
  
"Ready to be beaten?" Gizmo smiled. Raven gasped from the pin as blood spilled over her shoulders. Luckily she wasn't hit in the spine but near her shoulders. At the last second, she directed Mammoth over the leaning Jinx and dropped him on top of her. She struggled against him but he was too heavy and a bit whizzed out. Gizmo laughed as he blew a rocket at her. Raven jumped back and sniveled in pain as it engraved the side of her leg. Blood detonated everywhere. Robin watched her as he did some acrobatic tricks on Cinderblock and Grudge to confuse them both until the rest could get down.  
  
As they were battling each other outside, a green hawk flew over Robin's head and dropped his belt to him. Robin fumbled to put it on as Cyborg wrestled Cinderblock with Starfire blasting energy balls at the Grudge. BeastBoy turned into T-Rex to combat Jinx. She finally made it out from under Mammoth, which was still dizzy from the 10 story fall. He finally got up and picked up Raven.  
  
"How would you like to be dropped? Heh, I'll just throw you!" Mammoth elevated Raven above his head, as her blood trickled down his arms and his shoulders. Some that oozed down her hand flew onto Mammoth's forehead and streamed down his face above his mouth. He licked it and smiled. "You're gonna regret the day you were born!" Raven alerted her mind to the door that they once again blew down and made it fly over to them. It smacked Mammoth but before he fell into unconsciousness, he threw Raven, who also passed out from loss of blood, into a tree about 5 yards ahead of them. Her pajamas were ripped up at the calves and her sleeves. Gizmo laughed and rushed over to Raven. Who began to pick her up as well, Beastboy saw Gizmo moving towards Raven, and tried to rescue her himself, but Jinx caught up with him and made him weak from her blows of purple energy blasts.  
  
"Raven!" Starfire screamed, she also tried to reach her but grabbed by Plasmus. Gizmo was now on his emaciated metal legs and laughed again. "Let me go! We must save Raven!"  
  
"I got you for sure!" Gizmo's remote was ordered to bring out more of his rockets. He aimed at Raven and some around Raven just to add effect. Robin and Cyborg were being belligerent against Cinderblock because it seemed somehow he grew twice as tall and stronger than last time. They didn't notice until it actually went off. Gizmo jumped back to not get hurt. When it was done blowing up Raven he crouched over her in the smoke.  
  
"RAVEN!!!" Robin bawled. "Gizmo! You're gonna pay!"  
  
"With what? We won! So beat it!" Gizmo hooted. He lunged the air to show Robin his bloody friend. Raven was lying on her side. This time, instead of having a few places being ripped open, her shirt was torn up until it reached her chest and her pants became the shape of short shorts. Her sleeves were frayed to tatters. Her hair was sticky with blood. The first button popped off and her collars were rejected so now it looked like she was bloody Hill Billy. Her once longed sleeved pajama collared shirt became a ripped up tank top that showed her narrow stomach and her pajama boy shorts revealed once again her muscled legs. "I said, 'BEAT IT!'" and on cue, Plasmus held Starfire to the ground and covered her neck to toes in slim so it wasn't so easy to get out of herself. With her energy gone, she cried. Cinderblock picked up Robin and Cyborg and smashed them together and dropped them cataleptic. Jinx, making her grand finale to also make Beastboy into the state of comatose, she powered up her vigor and gratis it out him making his head hit Starfire's head. They both fell into insensible sleep.  
  
"Why don't you get rid of them, Cinderblock? Mammoth, you too," Jinx ordered both of them, after Mammoth finally got after 15 minutes. Cinderblock picked up Cyborg, Beastboy and Raven while Mammoth selected Robin and Starfire (after removing the glob that stuck to her). They threw them all the way to the forest that was past the city they were in. Their confidence had doubled their strength that they finally beat the Titans.  
  
14 Hours Later_________________________  
  
A groan escaped Robin's lips. He licked it and tasted the dried blood. He was on the ground, but he couldn't find anyone else, except Raven. She was on a rock taller than her.  
  
"Raven!" he croaked. His parched throat kept him from screaming the other names. He rushed towards her. Lifting her up her stood on the rocks to check if any one else was near by. The only person he saw was Cyborg on the tree tops. He tried calling his name a dozen times, but his voice couldn't reach his ears. Then he directed his approach on Raven. Robin held her close to him. She was still bleeding and it dripped onto his pajamas. She appeared dead to the world, with serenity on her face, it didn't seem that she was still alive. Robin started crying. The tears ran down fast with one right after another. Then they proceeded from streams to rivers to water falls. The tears splattered onto her face, waking her heart beat. She wasn't awake though, just from dead to unconscious, or it seemed she was lifeless. "Wake, up, don't die. Please don't die, please. DON'T DIE!" Robin was holding her in his arms and rocking back and forth. He couldn't feel her heart beat yet though and couldn't hear her soft breathing so he decided to give her a proper funeral. He looked for the delicate spot of dirt and began to dig with his bare hands. She was still on his laps as he bent down digging and digging. He wept bitterly and asking himself why couldn't he save her, why didn't he notice that Gizmo was going to kill her? When he reached a foot underground, she turned her head and moaned. He thought that was himself until he felt her grabbing his shirt.  
  
"Help the others," she structured. "They need you." She lifted her head and tears formed in her eyes. Robin didn't want her to show emotions like this during this time of event. He wiped the blood and tears from her eyes. While she was out cold, the bleeding eventually stopped. Raven stood up and started to pace towards the river but collapsed. Robin ran over to her and lifted her up and they ensued to the river.  
  
When they reached it a few minutes later, they drank the clean water and bathed themselves with clothes still on. Raven swam slowly to the middle where it was the height of her neck. She cooled herself in it and the pain eased little by little. 


	4. Reunion

Chapter Four: Reunion  
  
Raven remembered what she did so that she wouldn't get killed by Gizmo. They had thought she was oblivious to what happened to her. So she pretended to be unconscious, still even she was too weak to fight them, but held off until it was the right moment to protect herself. Lying in a pretend lifeless body, she created a shield over herself with invisibility. It was strong enough to hold off the rockets but it took all her energy so she did pass out from all the blood she lost. A few rockets though did manage to get past the shield and cut up her pajamas on the side, slicing through her skin. She wondered how she lived through this. She ducked her head under the water and came back out to the river bank. Her bra strap showed near her neck. She pushed it back.  
  
"You ok?" Robin filled with concern, asked. He was shirtless and washing it from the blood. He smiled with his belt still on and took out a miniature first aid kit.  
  
"I don't need that, I'm fine!" Raven bickered. Robin held back a bit.  
  
"Raven, don't try denying it, you're cut up," he leaned next to her wet body as he applied alcohol to her skin. She winced from the sting but stood still. He took bandages and wrapped her legs and arm. "How'd you survive from the rockets?" She blushed as he moved down to her legs.  
  
"I created an invisible shield, you know the rest?" Raven asked. He nodded. She flew into the air and sped towards Cyborg, telling Robin to wait there. She picked up Cyborg with her mental help. Robin sighed and looked after.  
  
A couple of minutes later, they came back, with Raven floating Cyborg behind her. She sat down and he landed safely.  
  
"Cyborg needs recharging," She let out. She grabbed Robin's shirt while leaving him with his mouth hung open. She dipped the shirt into the river and left it for Cyborg. She sat with legs under her and squeezed the water into Cyborg's mouth. She lifted his head so it would go down his throat. Raven threw the shirt back at Robin and focused her empathy powers over Cyborg's wounds. They healed rapidly. "You need to be healed." She said with her back against him.  
  
"I'm fine, you do-" Robin was cut short again.  
  
"I think you're denying it," Raven interrupted. She made him sit still. She worked from his face, to arms, stomach and legs. He felt refreshed after it.  
  
"Thank you, I guess," Robin rubbed his arms to test if he was healed. Raven just shook her head and healed herself. She flew off into the air, and began to scan the area for the other two. She found Starfire down the river washed on the shore and healed her. She took her and placed her gently to the left of Cyborg. She then went off again. After several hours, Raven finally found Beastboy thrown into a cave; she again healed him and flew back to the place where Robin and the rest were. When Beastboy was set down, he awoke. The others were awakening as well.  
  
"I do not understand! Why were we hurt so bad? How did Raven survive? We should go back and defeat them!" Starfire declared.  
  
"It ain't gonna be that easy, Star!" Cyborg punched his fist into his other hand. Starfire let out an 'oh' and looked down at her feet.  
  
"Cyborg's right! We can't let them defeat us again! Not while we're still a team. Ready Teen Titans?" Robin said. He was standing on the rock that he was sitting on to wash his shirt. Raven was leaning against a tree with her eyes closed and Cyborg sat around a fire that Starfire lit up. Beastboy and Starfire sat with him. They all-or most- agreed to go back and kick their butts.  
  
"Yo! What about you, Raven? Are you just going to stand there?" Beastboy questioned. Raven shot him down with a look so ominous it made Starfire screech and Cyborg's eye go wide. Beastboy turned into a kitten and crawled into Starfire's lap. Robin just stared at her waiting for an answer.  
  
"We need to practice first. This team needs to be well prepared for the unexpected and the stronger," Raven affirmed. She looked at Robin to see if he agreed and he nodded. "Tomorrow, we will set of to Gotham to Bruce Wayne-"  
  
"Bruce Wayne?!" Robin screamed the name of the man that once used to lead him. She nodded and continued.  
  
"-he will help us with the training and battle we will face. I talked to him already, and he told me whenever we are ready or whenever we want to. I think now is a good time," Raven looked at Robin again. He shook his head in defeat. The others gazed at her intently. "We cannot go back and fight them again right now."  
  
"I understand ya, Rave," Beastboy conjured. He didn't exactly follow up in what she was saying. But Cyborg did. Starfire, like Beastboy, was confused.  
  
"Right and pigs will fly. Listen Raven, how are we gonna get there? I mean it is kinda far to walk and it's on the other side of the city," Cyborg told the verity. Raven just looked at them like they were stupid or something.  
  
"Starfire and I can fly, Beastboy can turn into something big AND flying and carry you two. Are you up to that, Beastboy?" Raven asked pointing at Robin and Cyborg. He nodded.  
  
"Why not leave right now?" Starfire had curiosity in her eyes. Raven shot her another look.  
  
"We need our rest. If Beastboy falls asleep during flight, they will be destroyed. Do you comprehend now?" Raven stipulated. Starfire nodded slowly and looked down once more.  
  
"Can't we just stay in a hotel, though? It's bad enough that we were beaten up by the people we beat up before!" Cyborg demanded. Raven looked at Robin for another nod of agreement. He nodded.  
  
The group spent the rest of the night using the rest of their energy to fly towards the nearest motel. It was pretty shabby and they only had one room but the power outage stopped and the lights came back on, but when they did turn on the lamps or the lights, they're were black lights and made the room glow purple for the walls were still pretty white. Robin's white t- shirt glowed as well and everything seemed hazy to them.  
  
"What is this type of light is this? I had never seen this before and it makes the room be filled with interesting colors!" Starfire asked, peering into the head of the lamp. Her eyes sparked neon green.  
  
"It's a black light Star; they use it in raves or for 'decorating' rooms," Beastboy added. He looked at them and laughed because Raven's pajamas were ripped up and Robin's shirt was wet but glowing. Raven and Robin were the only ones in pajamas because they were under attack unexpectedly. The rest took time putting on their costumes. Robin looked at his shirt and took it off. He went to the bath room and turned on the lights. It appeared that the only source of light that doesn't make your clothes look neon was the bathroom light. They left it on and turned the rest of the lights off. They assembled that after they wake up, they should eat and then fly over to Bruce Wayne's mansion. After words, the team slept. Raven and Starfire shared one bed and the other three guys squeezed onto the other one.  
  
"Ow! Beastboy! You're kicking me!" Robin spouted off.  
  
"But if Cyborg didn't take up most of the space, it wouldn't be a problem!" Beastboy fought back. He turned into a green mouse and slept on the chair by the drawer. Cyborg used an extension cord and connected to himself and the plug. He was already asleep.  
  
"Finally! Thanks," Robin snarled. Everyone seemed asleep but Raven kept her eyes wide awake. She slept until 6AM and patiently walked around the motel room until BeastBoy yawned and woke up. Starfire woke up next and then Robin. Cyborg was only half done with revitalizing himself but it was fine so they woke him up.  
  
"I'm not done recharging!" Cyborg yelled.  
  
"You can recharge at Bruce's," Raven whispered. Her words were a blur to him since he was only half listening but he got the point when he heard the word 'recharge' and 'Bruce'. When everyone were done brushing their teeth with the one tooth brush provided for them, and refreshed themselves, they ate at the cheapest breakfast diner they could find and headed off to Batman's house. Raven flew, leading Starfire who led the large, green pterodactyl Beastboy which Cyborg and Robin were holding onto. Halfway in the flight, Beastboy got tired and turned into a smaller bird and forgot about the other none flying boys. They were falling so fast but with relief Beastboy turned back into a pterodactyl and caught them on his back.  
  
"Just a few more minutes, Beastboy! Can you hold them?" Raven pointed to Starfire where to go and she went. She slowed down by Beastboy who was sweating furiously and nodded. He dropped a bit and then shook his head.  
  
"It's too heavy!" Beastboy starting panting and since Raven had an almost endless amount of energy, she lifted Robin off (since, obviously, he was the lightest of the two) with her mind power and floated him until they reached Bruce's house.  
  
Robin ran up to the doorsteps to the place which he considered home. The others followed behind. He took a deep breath and Starfire glided behind him.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Starfire asked in worry. After all, she only wanted to help and protect him. Raven just stared harder to not let emotions of sadness show. He just smiled and put one of his arms around her waist and Starfire blushed. By this time, Raven started to get annoyed.  
  
"Looks like someone's jealous," Beastboy whispered to Cyborg, pointing at Raven. Raven overheard them talk about her and she looked back. They jumped back in surprise that she did.  
  
"I don't lo- like Robin!" she sneered. She was only lying to herself.  
  
"Nothing's the matter," Robin rung the doorbell.  
  
"Master Dick, welcome home. It is a pleasant surprise, what brings you here, sir?" Alfred loosed Starfire from Robin's grasp and led him to the living room.  
  
"Yes, what does bring you home, Dick?" Bruce walked into their antique-filled living room. He glanced at the Teen Titans. Then noticed Raven at the window looking out. "Raven, the training sessions. Is that why you're here?"  
  
"We need the training. By all means of respect, Mr. Wayne, we need it," Raven said, her back to all the rest looking out the window. Bruce nodded and Raven followed him to discuss their plans for preparation while the rest were left in the living room to talk.  
  
"Dude, what got Raven so upset?" Beastboy solicited. Robin just shrugged his shoulders and talked to Cyborg while Alfred put out tea for them. Starfire sniffed it cautiously. Her eyebrows just furrowed deep into her skin. Cyborg just laughed at her. She was confused.  
  
"You drink it," Robin told her. He picked up a cup and drank it. Starfire just clapped and drank it in delight.  
___________________  
  
"You're telling me, the H.I.V.Es beat you?" Bruce just asked in amusement. Raven just circled her fingers on the rim of the cup.  
  
"Not just the H.I.V.Es, most of Slade's team anyway. They seemed to have had more force upon us," Raven said. Alfred came in and filled more tea in their half full/empty cups. He handed Raven some clothes.  
  
"This should do you right now, miss," Alfred spoke gently. Raven thanked him silently with a graceful nod of her head. She took the clothes and went to their nearest bathroom. Even that was nicely decorated. As she changed out of her torn up pajamas, she remembered the attack less than 24 hours ago. Why couldn't she beat them? She knew she could've, what was holding her back to go solo? She shook her head in disapproval of her thoughts and re-directed them to Robin. and Starfire's relationship. Raven knew all too well that they cared about each other, maybe more than a friendly relationship. She just gritted her teeth and changed. 


	5. Serving Well, Training Well

Chapter 5: Serving Well, Training Well  
  
A/N* Thank you all who wrote kind reviews for my story!!! Thanks to all of you!!! The chapter is dedicated to you (no special orders): jasikaermine (especially you for the great reviews), Jillian4, Lady Serenity Moon Child, Tweek2, Tomboy, CheshireCat 46, Chibi Nataly, DarkWorld, S.M. and last but certainly not least, The Pebble!! Thanks you guys! And those who read it and liked it, but didn't find the time to review this story- thanks too!  
  
Raven stomped angrily out of the bathroom after a refreshing shower in her new clothing. It was regular clothing, not the skin tight, leg showing, cape flowing costume she threw on every single day since she became a Titan. Raven had her hair tied up in a messy pony tail this time. She had khaki capris with a side zipper and a little hook on. Her shirt was a regular white tank top, but the problem was, that they didn't have shoes for her, so she just floated around the halls, talking with Alfred for a little while and then seeping in and out of the walls, trying with all her might to no bump into Robin or Starfire. Luck ceased out. As she was done venturing Robin's old room, she slipped through the solid matters of the wall, and tumbled into Robin. They both fell on the floor next to each other. This was the first time of the evening that they saw each other. Robin was provided with his usual crime fighting costume though. He just grinned at her. Her lips slightly open and her eyes staring into his. Her petite body then picked itself up and planned to wander elsewhere but stopped by a gloved hand on her wrist.  
  
"We were looking for you. or at least I was," Robin smiled. Raven, inches above him because of her flying abilities, just stared at him. She started to feel heart broken. He had been looking for her- with Starfire. She read his mind. Her eyes grew weak with desperation to get away.  
  
"I'll be down for dinner soon," Raven stole her hand back and floated down to the dining room. Just she and Cyborg were there. He prayed silently and started to eat. She witnessed his messy behavior as he chugged down Italian soda, called Biancas, with his Italian themed dinner. All their dinner plates were filled with Italian food. She was hungry but didn't find the appetite. She just stared at her Prosciutto and Figs, Fazzoletti and Ricotta Jam Tart until the rest came in. Starfire and Robin were enjoying each other's company and sat next to each other- across from Raven. Cyborg was on her left, while Bruce was on her right, at the head of the long rectangular table. Beastboy was sitting next to Cyborg and was trying to listen to Raven's and Bruce's conversation of how hard to train. Cyborg pushed Beastboy down in his chair and started to shovel more food into his mouth. The plates were being passed around so he took the one carrying Roasted Pork with Fennel on it.  
  
"Whouldg yzou shit dowgn, yzou'sre gocnna mfake mse puwkge won yzou!" Cyborg chortled through mouthfuls of food. He showed Beastboy his mixed up food in his mouth with his Lemonade Italian Soda slushing on top. A few remnants of his food were floating on top which made Beastboy gag. He didn't stare at Cyborg all through out dinner or try to listen; he just ate and excused himself.  
  
"You have a training room, am I correct?" Raven hastily asked. He nodded. She was straight to the point, forward if you must. Bruce liked that. He didn't have to answer so many questions. "We will train there; you will teach us basic moves and advance us from that point on." Bruce thought about it.  
  
"I'll see what I can do," Bruce replied to the tone of her iciness in her voice.  
  
'Thank you, Mr. Wayne. To repay your kindness, I'll help clean with Alfred and help prepare dinner,' Raven eagerly pressed against his thoughts, although she didn't say it out loud. Telepathy, what he suspected what one of her powers should be. He just nodded. Having help in fighting against people like the Penguin or the Joker wasn't such a bad idea anyway, and he did need a few more people to help clean with Alfred. He was growing old and it was taking advantage of him.  
  
Raven continued her meal, disturbed by the flirting that went on between Robin and Starfire. She just picked up her dishes and the other empty dishes to clean it. Cyborg kept excavating food into his mouth and burped loudly. He handed the plate to Raven and she headed to the kitchen. She gently placed the plates one top of the other and left the water running to loosen the sticking food on the plate. She went out to retrieve the other left over plates and disposed of them; they were having dessert now and enjoying the taste. She skipped it, thinking that they were an excuse to put on more fat. As she took Starfire's empty plate from the main course of dinner, she noticed that she was turning red, red from jealousy, after collecting all the main course dinner plates, she turned off the sink and filled it with soap. Raven scrubbed so hard, it glimmered in the moonlight. After she was done, she did the dessert plates.  
  
As she was walked into the living room, Cyborg yelled, "Hey! What's taking you so long Beastboy?! The movie's about to start!" Beastboy carried out two large buckets of popcorn. Raven scowled at them, but so silent that only she her self could hear it. She wandered aimlessly around and found the training room. Bruce was in there as Batman.  
  
"Mr. Wayne, would you mind if I practiced in here?" Raven asked. Batman just looked at her. He nodded and left the room after telling her how to voice command the training room. She activated it level 10, the highest and most extreme level. Raven didn't think this would be such a difficult level, considering, she's been through worse. But, man, was she so wrong.  
  
"Arg!!!!" Raven jumped in the air, dismissing a laser beam from below. But by surprise another laser beam hit her in the back. She grunted and fell to the metal floor. Standing up, she swayed and did a back flip, there were more laser beams after her. This of course was a hologram. But everything felt so real to her. Gas chambers awakened and let out fog so she couldn't see most things. It was so foggy she could barely see her hand in front of her face. Spears flew in every direction but she controlled them and sent them flying into walls, breaking them. Just then, a wall that seemed harmless popped up in front of her, it was about 4 feet wide, and it reached the ceiling from the ground. She moved away but it followed her. She flew as fast as she could, but it didn't work, it followed her so directly that it wasn't even a centimeter off. Another wall blocked her other sides. After a few minutes of tiring events of trying to avoid them, she set herself down on the ground quickly then started up as the third wall came ruptured up behind her, two walls on the side, none in front. She flew so fast that she almost made it a centimeter away from them but when she did, the completion of the box settled and the fourth wall came shooting off in front her. As it exploded, Raven collided into it and tumbled 8 feet down from her flying stance.  
  
"This is harder than I thought," Raven said to her self. She looked up wards at the roof of the little trap box as it skidded down towards her, arrows were piercing through the box on her side but not behind her or in front of her. She wasn't scared but just a little frantic. She screamed, "Training Room: Hologram A-58; level 10 disconnect!" As soon as those words came pouring out her mouth, everything disappeared and she was as sweaty as hell. She collapsed on the floor and breathed slowly, trying to get her heart beat in control. She wiped the sweat off her brow and headed towards the weight room.  
  
She thought maybe toning her muscles would help and started running five miles on the treadmill. It took her about 7 minutes and 30 seconds to run one mile but by the time she done, it had been about 35 minutes. Her legs got quite the workout. Again, after an hour on the other machines, she ran on the treadmill once more. She felt energized but she'd have to work out a lot more if she wanted to have powers stronger, more than ever. She went to one of the guest room provided for them and was picking up the heaviest objects with her mind, trying to upgrade that too. After making them stay up for 15 minutes each, she went out and then to the weight room, for they had heavier objects in there.  
  
"I must have them stay up!" Raven convinced herself, all of them were floating in the air and now was able to advance onto making them move around, but she was moving them so slowly that walking turtles seemed faster than them. After circling them inside the room, she gently set them down and ran to Alfred.  
  
"Yes, Ms. Raven, is there anything you need?" Alfred spoke gently. He was also kind to her and the rest of the group.  
  
"Alfred, tomorrow could you prepare 10- 120 pound bags of wet sand and leave them in the backyard?" Raven spoke hastily. He nodded.  
  
"I'll do what I can, probably, miss," Alfred said. "Oh, Ms. Raven, since you are working here now, you will be required to wear this." He held out a uniform, fit for her and she took it. Showering for the second time of the day made she smelled better than ever. She walked around the house cleaning a bit here and there. Washing the windows and vacuuming the rug for the next day was not an option. Her black dress matched the color of Alfred's uniform. It was just a plain black dress with a white apron over it. Her brand new socks that were bought by Alfred for her fit her quite well and were pulled up to her knees. He also bought her more training clothes and shoes. She went to sleep after everyone else and changed into pajamas provided for her.  
  
In the morning after, she found herself wrapped in mounds of blankets. She woke, sweating from the nightmare that approached her cunningly, the nightmare of her father. She had this almost everyday of her life- but it never got so bad like this. It seemed so real, her father was ahead of her, if she could only reach him. If only- she took out her hand in sleep motion and reached forward screaming, 'TRIGON! I WILL REVENGE YOU! I WILL KILL YOU! ... ARGH!!!!!!!!' She made her night stand crash on to the ground with her anger and kept reaching up with her left hand. Someone reached her back. Robin was standing to her left, clutching her tiny hand.  
  
"What are you doing in the privacy of my room?!" Raven bolted up, pulling back her hand. She started to snarl at him but he interrupted her shows of anger.  
  
"I heard you scream... Something about killing triangles?" Robin snickered. She knew what he was talking about.  
  
"My father... Trigon," She muttered under her breath.  
  
"Are you alright?" Robin asked. "If your dad is upsetting you, I'll help you fight him off." He looked at her kindly and she softened away the hard look she had a few seconds ago. He reached towards her hand and held it in one of his. She tried to move her hand away but too scared that once she did, she'll lose him. Forever and he might go running to Starfire. She smiled and looked at her other free hand. He picked his hand up just as Cyborg rumbled in. Their moment of a budding relationship demolished, crushed by the wave of fate.  
  
The others ran in too. "What's going on? Someone screamed and woke me!" Cyborg yelled.  
  
"Chill Cyborg, we overslept anyway," Beastboy said, transforming back into a regular being from a dog. He pointed to the digital clock sprawled on the ground. It was 11:58. Raven rushed up and left them hanging there for awhile. When she emerged from the bathroom in her uniform, Beastboy whistled and Cyborg clapped.  
  
"Looks like someone's going to the joint tonight and doing a litt-" Beastboy started to joke. Cyborg laughed his head off.  
  
"I'm working here to pay back Bruce Wayne," she intervallic. Beastboy and Cyborg stopped laughing. Robin just stared at her. He knew she knew that she didn't have too, but she felt like it. She made her bed and seeped through the walls to make the rests' bed. After she was done with that, she headed to the kitchen where Alfred was waiting. "Sorry to keep you waiting."  
  
"No problems, Miss Raven, although all of you missed Breakfast, except Master Dick, you will have to prepare lunch now. Mr. Bruce will not be joining us today," Alfred said. She prepared pizza for them and brought out the soda.  
  
'Lunch is ready,' her voice echoed in everyone's head. The first one down there was Cyborg as like last night, he shoved pizza down in his mouth, enjoying the taste in which he had not savored for so long. She took a plate and tea to Alfred and got one herself and joined him in a different room.  
  
"Thank you Miss Raven," Alfred said, taking bites of his. Her stomach rumbled about for she didn't touch it yet. She could hear Starfire let out a cheer for pizza and Beastboy fighting over the largest piece with Cyborg. "Is something bothering you?" Alfred asked.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Raven said. He was like a grandfather to her.  
  
"But you are wrong, your eyes are deceiving you," he spoke, finishing the last bit of pizza and drinking his tea to swallow it down. She looked up at him in surprise.  
  
"My dreams are haunting me," Raven confessed.  
  
"Ah, will you tell them to me?" Alfred still sipped on his tea.  
  
"My father has killed one dearest to me-" Raven was surprised.  
  
"Master Dick? Isn't he the one?" he interrogated. She nodded in embarrassment. He smiled in amusement. "Don't worry, I won' tell anyone," He patted her hand.  
  
"I tried running to him but can never catch him," Raven finished. He nodded.  
  
"Perhaps, one you hate much will hurt the one you love. It seems you need a little break today, why don't you go outside. Your sand is waiting," Alfred gently alleged. Raven nodded. In Gotham, the rain seemed to be going on and on. The fall-winter happenings didn't at all disturbed Raven. She changed into training clothes and headed outside. She trained herself in the rain and lifted all the bags at the same time and held it there for a while then rearranged them to hit the tree one by one, falling on top of each other.  
  
Summoning a destruction spell, she directed it to one of the sand bags, blowing it up everywhere. Sand dust swirled in the wind and left her sight, the bag though, was too heavy too carry, so it stayed behind. She then lifted the remaining 9 up higher and higher until she couldn't keep them in the grasp of her mind any longer. She stacked on top of one another and went in. Mentally drying her self off she headed to the weight room. Running another 10 miles and then lifting weights without her mental powers exhausted her. She then went to the punching bag and took out her anger of her father and her jealousy of Starfire on it. She punched it too hard in fact that it emptied. Raven shrugged mentally picked them all up and dropped it in the trash. She sighed and went to the training room.  
  
"Training room: Hologram A-36; Level 9 Activa-" Before it did activate, Robin stepped in and told her he would practice with her. She nodded. "Training Room: Hologram A-36; Level 9 activate!" The walls and the ground transfixed into a nature scene. The wide and deep river ran swiftly besides them and trees were everywhere. It was a perfect little for a picnic, if they weren't getting attacked. Airplanes dropped bombs on them and Raven tackled Robin down so he wouldn't get hurt.  
  
"Remember, we have to protect each other! Don't let me out of your site, and I won't let you out of mine!" she yelled over roaring engines of missile throwing robots. He nodded and they fought against them. Raven being attacked by two at once used her mental abilities and smashed them together. Robin used his disks to freeze them and they combusted into metal pieces. Things got harder as arrows flew everywhere at them. Raven jumped sideways, dodging them successfully with Robin also jumping. One was about to pierce him when she controlled it and reflected into the one who threw it. She controlled all of them and slowly turning around, she let them fly to their owners; piercing screams shriveled in the air as holographic men fell from the trees. Dinosaurs rumbled her and there trying to bite their legs off. Raven grabbed Robin and carried him to the top of the tree where they could attack. Freezing them, Robin jumped to another tree as Raven just up rooted one and smacked the tyrannosaurus in the head, trying to get away, following Robin's lead. After attacking what was coming to them, the hologram safely shut down.  
  
Water flooded as the hologram seem to end. It did end. What was going on now? Raven and Robin ran to the door and tried to blow it open but it wouldn't budge. Raven lifted them both up to the top of the dome. Away from the water but it filled the room quickly. She made a little air bubble for both of them. 'The water- was this part of the hologram?' she thought to herself. Air tanks formed in their arms as they sat next to each other, exchanging thoughts. Attacking sharks and sting rays tried to burst their bubble of air, but it didn't work. Yes, this was part of the hologram. Raven controlled the sharks, which were twice as long as them and mentally told Robin to wear his air tank as she put them on. The sting rays though were non-controllable since, she had 8 sharks to deal with. They attacked Robin but just in time, Raven hitched a ride on one of the controlled and grabbed Robin by the arm.  
  
She picked up pieces of the sunken ship that computerized on the ground of the training room as well as the deeper part of the hologram ocean. She shot the sting rays down by piercing them with the wood from the ship. As they all fell to the ocean ground, the cliff leading to the deeper part of the ocean forced tentacles out. A 30 foot long tentacle wrapped around Raven and took her down to the crevices to the under world. Robin was now the one worried for her. He dove in after her but before he reached the cliff, the tentacle hauling Raven shot up and hit the girl against the rock wall. He took his disks out but was commanded by Raven to do something else.  
  
'Don't! If you freeze him, I will too!' Raven commanded sticking a hand out to stop him. He just sat on the shark as the tentacle bashed Raven non-stop into the wall making rock slides. Even in the condition she was in she saved him. He had to do something to prove to her that he could be a more trustworthy team member as well, even if this was only a hologram. He directed the shark to the sunken ship and went inside where large swords and sharp edges were hidden. After grabbing one while the shark swam by fast; he then forced the shark to the tentacles. The squid tried grabbing him but he dodged them, jumping off the shark and swimming away. Raven obliged the sharks to bite the tentacles to weaken the squid. The squid crushed a few sharks.  
  
Somehow, the squid sensed Raven was controlling the sharks and squeezed her enough to not allow her to breathe. Making his way to her, he slashed through the tentacle holding Raven. She slipped out but was caught by him. Her ribs felt a little crushed but a little source of empathy could help her, which it did. They swam to the top and found a shore near by, swimming towards it together; they reached it successfully with out a hazard of sharks or tentacles. Robin checked the time on his wrist. 6:08 PM. They were going to be late for dinner if this kept going on. When he was about to close off the hologram, bones of hands popped in every square feet grabbing them. The sand shuffled under their feet as they ran towards a tree but monkeys attacked them and bite them. Raven kicked them away and Robin froze them. The bones of the hands protruded and thus the eyes of the two teen heroes witnessed it become a full body.  
  
Raven taking a glance at Robin's watch ended the hologram and she rushed out of the room. Robin just watched after her. She hurried to put the uniform and cleaned the place like she promised. Then rushed to their kitchen where Alfred was cooking meat. She had asked what to do and was ordered to bake biscuits. Dinner was now served. 


	6. Shattered Emotions

Chapter 6: Shattered Emotions  
  
A/N* And thanks Angelic*Anime*Dragon, blizzard-shadow-venus, and X-static  
for that wonderful comment as well! Thanks everyone!  
  
(new)*A/n** I only changed the dress from black to white. hehehhhhh.:D. And  
a few word miss spellings.  
  
After serving diner, Raven did her usual chores and training that night, but stayed up and waited for Bruce to come home, so she could properly greet him the way Alfred does, but since he didn't come home until 3 in the morning, she let Alfred take a break. After all, he was old.  
  
"Welcome home, Mr. Wayne," Raven said in the dark. He jumped in surprise and turned to his right to see her standing by the cloak hanger. He took off his jacket and handed it to her. Somehow, in between putting the bad guys in jail and driving home, he operated to put on his usual work suit. He just looked at her for another minute and dragged his feet to his bedroom. The teenage girl, afraid of her nightmare to form in the midst of her most vulnerable state, tried keeping awake. She didn't succeed and fell asleep in her uniform, on the couch.  
  
Nightmare__________  
  
"Robin!" a young girl's voice echoed throughout the black hollow of her mind. She picked up the body of a young man. Tears sprang out. She bit her lip. Raven was that girl, and every part of her felt so surreal. A laugh came from a hooded being. It ran as far it could from her, and all Raven could do was stick out her arm and yell for her father's name, cursing him and screaming she would avenge him for the destruction of Robin's life. Usually that was where the dream ended, but it kept on. She finally reached the hooded father after running what felt like one hundred miles and grabbed a hold of his shoulders. She turned him around and unmasked his face. It turned out to be a she. It had been herself who damaged Robin all this time.  
  
"It can't be," Raven whispered to herself while gripping her mirror image. She attacked her and punctured her in the stomach. The real Raven gasped for air because whatever she did to her, it did unto herself.  
  
"Raven!" the mirror cried out. It repeated her name until she was shook.  
  
Raven woke up to someone's shoulders in her hands. She looked up and saw it was Alfred. He had been trying to pry her arms off while repeating her name to wake her up.  
  
"Miss Raven, your dreams are becoming quite real to you, aren't they?" he asked above her. She nodded. Realizing she was wearing the same uniform as yesterday, she took a quick shower and put on an identical uniform, washed and pressed. It was only 6 in the morning, making her feel a little groggy.  
  
"Phfft," she muttered under her breath. Only 3 hours of sleep could deprive someone of their daily cheers. But she kept quiet and worked there.  
  
For several weeks, this kept up. Everyone did their own training and then some with each other in the battle for the fittest. Sometimes, Raven trained with Batman. Somehow she always lost. One day, while retrieving the newspaper in the winter snow, she read their names in the headlines. A picture of the city burning down to ashes was shown under it with Slade's minions. Once inside, she sat down at the table in the dining room and read the article.  
  
Where are the Teen Titans?  
  
After several weeks of destruction from the H.I.V.E's, Plausmus, and  
Cinderblock, the city is fed up. People have been asking, where are the  
Teen Titans?  
  
Since the first sign of danger, the city thought the Teens Titans would  
come to save them once again. We were wrong. If you see in the picture above, it shows us that no one is here to protect. The population cut in half and the only ones living here are the evil-doers, the mayor and the  
shop keepers. We have a few words form the mayor himself.  
  
"We've been waiting for them to show up and beat the bad guys up like they always do, but now it's like they're really ignoring us. I think we don't give them enough respect," The mayor thinks. We all think that too. Please Teen Titans, please we need your help. If you're reading this, come back!  
  
Raven checked the news on the television to see if the same thing was spoken. It was the top-story for weeks before and weeks to come. She knew they had to do something quick before their town turned devilishly hell for them. She flew swiftly to Robin's room, her dress puffing in the skirt section. Raven knocked but heard a little giggle. She was confused. 'Does Robin giggle?' the thoughts whirled in her mind. The door was unlocked, but she wasn't sure if she should barge in like. Instead her head went through the wall to check on Robin, but what she found wasn't at all pleasant for her. Robin and Starfire had been kissing. She went back out and was ashamed that she walked in on them like that.  
  
"No, NO!" She cried out flying into her room, a mirror shattered and the pieces crashed into the wall, piercing it with every reflected image it had to own. The mirror had represented her very emotions. Shattered. Starfire and Robin? Was it just as illusion or was it real? She saw them though, their lips touched and by the quick peeks of it, Starfire did enjoy it, she wasn't quite sure of Robin though. She wasn't about to throw herself on the bed and wallow in jealousy, self-pity and depression, instead, she wiped the tears and stood tall. She was about to survive, she knew she had to. But all she could think about was her friends' kisses. The only thing to get that out of her mind was doing her chores and taking the life of another punching bag. Alfred walked in on her, scrubbing the toilet clean for the last three hours, she made breakfast and lunch but missed the two meal times. Her body wobbled in pain from lack of nutrition from last night's dinner and the last two's meal.  
  
"My goodness, Miss Raven! Have you eaten for today?" Alfred stood over her, while her hands ached from the clenching her fist into a little hold of rags to clean. She looked up at him, sweat traveling down her face, hair mussed up in the most house-wife manner. Raven shook her head. "Very well then."  
  
She didn't even plan on joining them with dinner that night, but as usual, she made their food. Everyone enjoyed her food, thinking that Alfred made it, but he credited it to her, though by the time he said Raven's name, no one was listening. She looked in on them and then left, making sure they were contented with their lives. Raven walked to the training room, locking the door on her way in.  
  
"Training Room: Hologram E-58; level 1 Activate!" Raven commanded. She didn't feel like training, and instead, just took a walk through the park of the hologram. Nothing dangerous was shown here, but just a few bees and dogs whipping their tails around. She smiled at the happiness of it. Even if it was fake, she enjoyed a few simplicity of life sometimes. A flower, just bloomed entranced her with its powerful glare of red. She picked the tulip and laid down in the soft grass and looked at the hologram's sun. It reminded her of the sun rise that she and Robin witnessed together before they went to the amusement park. She then turned her attention to the delicate flower and sat up. Watching it she was remembered of her friend's kisses once more and she began to dispose of the flower by crushing it. She couldn't take this soft light of things any longer, deactivating it and then running back to do more chores, she was stopped by Robin.  
  
"I haven't seen you in all day. Where've you been?" he asked in concern. She just looked at him and brushed up against him. They held their gaze on each other for another few seconds until she slipped through a wall leading to her bedroom. It was 11 PM, but all she wanted to do was sleep.  
  
The next morning, she walked out of the kitchen after cleaning the dishes and found Cyborg watching T.V.  
  
"This might be useful to you one day," she sneered at him and took the remote. This was the first thing she said to anyone in 24 hours.  
  
"Hey! It's my T.V. time! I need that to switch channels!" Cyborg cried in protest. She shook her head in disappointment.  
  
"We need to go back," Raven said, pointing to the view of shouting people and burning buildings.  
  
"Is that what those guys did?! To our city?! The Teen Titans tower!!! It turned into an S!" Beastboy shouted, throwing his hands forward, making everyone who was watching TV notice it. Starfire, the only one still asleep was awoken by Beastboy's yelling and preposterous rants. She changed, brushed her teeth and showered quickly running into Beastboy.  
  
"What is wrong? Why are you screaming? Why-" The ever curios Starfire gasped with wide eyes when she saw the T.V. screen.  
  
"How long has it been up there, anyway?" Cyborg asked, pointing to the picture of S tower.  
  
"I'd say about 45 minutes," Robin answered. Everyone sighed as Raven shut off her T.V. They watched her go down the hall to enter the room she so richly basically lives in. As she commanded it to go another 10, she thought of doing the hardest hologram to go up against: A-0. The easiest hologram there was is E-100. She had been training everyday since they arrived at the mansion. She had grown quite strong in both physical and mental health. She had even done push ups to help. Running ten miles everyday, lifting things and replacing them with another object didn't tire her out anymore. Another time, she lifted all of the Teen Titans and Alfred. She thought perhaps she could actually pass this one, since she passed all the others one she did except for the first few and the ones she had to quit for chores.  
  
"Training Room; Hologram A-0; Level 10!!" She instructed. And so it began. She was floating through air, trying not to disturb the land mines, or air mines. The motion sensitive bombs were floating in the air too. There had been several in the ground and in the walls, but the ceiling wasn't safe either. There were spears waiting to pierce her down at the sign of a wrong move of defense. Raven's body went berserk when the weather and temperature changed every three seconds. First it was so cold, that frost bites nipped at your insides first not your outsides, then it turned scorching hot like you were being baked alive. When that was over, the weather would turn moist and foggy. At least the temperature was the only normal feeling part. But it had to change back into the bitter frost. Robots sensed her well being and escaped from hidden doors, safely out of eyes view. She kicked their heads off and twisted them around. Grabbing a few by the mind, she slung them into the air mines and threw them on the ground making that explode but not her.  
  
'I have to avoid death and fight back,' she thought covering herself with the torso of a dead robot. All the air mines already blew up and so did the ground, the only thing she had to worry about was wall mines. Not touching the walls, she battled the robots. They seemed stronger than. They beat her up and threw her on the ground. Her skin tingled from the frost then steamed from the hot temperature. She got up still floating in the air. The robots morphed into Robin. They all laughed at her. Somehow the training room had the power to find out your desires and your hates and turn them to reality. But she knew they weren't real. They all started to attack her but she hadn't had the courage to defeat them. They were Robin. she hated him on the surface, but greatly treasured much too much for it to be sibling love. She wept and cried out as then started to ferociously beat her. She got and began to pound them into the walls. She couldn't stand it any longer and while more were attacking her, the spears from the ceiling never ended. She protected herself from a robot's body and hid under rubble until the spears intruded her hiding spot. She took a non pierced robot body and held out her hand. A spear sliced the side of her hand. The pain wasn't real but felt real. She had enough of this bull shit from her Team mates. Well just the way Robin and Starfire were continually flirting with each other when they know it's each other they like. Standing there, being attacked by spears sent her to become angry. She shouted a spell making them turn away from her and defying the laws of physics and shot the air broke it self in two then clattered on the ground.  
  
Raven watched the blood drip down her arms and trickled along her fingers. She had almost defeated the entire hologram when the same black wall shown at her side. She looked up in shock for not knowing about it. She tried running like it did before but nothing worked. Seeing the rubble on the ground, she replaced it with her own weight and it worked. The four walls closed in on it and trapped it. But as soon as she did that, another wall popped up from behind her. She then repeated herself with each popping wall until all the rubble was gone. She was disappointed for now she was trapped. Trying with all her might to get out of that stupid box, success finally left her and she grew tired. The walls closed in on her. Raven sighed and let it. But thinking of Robin gave her strength. Was she in a final love with him? She didn't want to stop trying to show love to him. This could be her possible test of thinking of him for her. She punched the walls but hurt her knuckles. Instead she tried to pry her trap open with her mind.  
  
Failed.  
  
She then relied on both. That didn't succeed either. In an attempt to get out of the box she forced all her energy in her hands and legs and mind and whirled around punching, kicking and prying it open with her mind all at the same time. She waited for another second until all the walls fell down and burned into ashes.  
  
"Hologram A-0; level 10- test passed," the computer told. Raven let out a smile and walked around the house. She didn't realize this, but she skipped lunch for that day and it was only an hour before dinner. She had spent six and half hours sweating out in the training room. She was quit sure she grew 5 times stronger than when she got beat up by Slade's minions. She felt quite pleased at herself.  
  
Meanwhile____________________  
  
"We chased them out of the city!" Gizmo laughed. He and mammoth ordered pizza and Chinese take out everyday, in celebration.  
  
"Don't be so sure. They'll come back," Jinx said, modeling herself in Raven's clothes. "Look! She finally got something that's not blue. Perhaps she has taste in something after all." She was wearing a dress. Something white. It was a halter dress with a slit in the middle starting at the middle of her thighs to add a smirk to a few faces of men. From the slit, the rest of the dress dragged. Basically it looked like a dress to be worn at Toga party except with a high-class definition. Raven had also a bracelet and a necklace to go with it, but it was red to match her jewel on her forehead and white high heels.  
  
"She has a taste in clothes," Jinx smirked. The boys whistled at her as Cinderblock and Plausmus just stared at them. Jinx added another statement, "They've been training, I can feel it, luckily we aren't the only ones training, right?!" They all yelped a yup.  
  
"We'll get them, we'll get them good!" Mammoth joining I-know-it's-gonna-be- victory dance with Jinx (who was turning up the volume of one of Beastboy's CD's). Gizmo joined too by jumping on Mammoth's shoulders. They were merry for the time being.  
  
"Yeah, Mammoth! We'll get them very good," Jinx grinned. 


	7. Uncontrollable Flashbacks

Chapter 7: Uncontrollable Flashbacks  
  
Another week of nothing but sleeping, eating and training, they were ready to go against Slade's team.  
  
"We're gonna kick their asses!" Cyborg shouted in joy. He was going to show them how much stronger he had gotten. He and Robin were on the new and improved BeastBoy with Starfire and Raven leading the way. Beastboy, Robin and Starfire started to laugh. Raven just stared in disgust as they enjoyed themselves behind her. How could they not think about the war between good and evil that was about to happen any minute? She just sped up and the rest followed.  
  
After a few minutes later, they finally reached their tower. Jinx came down attacking Raven from their roof top. Raven was only tackled down but Jinx just ran back inside their doors. Without anyone of them seeing or knowing, including Raven, Jinx had placed a control disk in her hair. The disk made her skin absorb it. She only felt a small head ache, thinking it was from the fall she encountered.  
  
"GO!" Jinx laughed manically. Raven stood up and brushed her self off. Attacking Jinx at the same time with her mind and physically, Robin and the others went against the others.  
  
"You've gotten stronger," Jinx smiled. "But not stronger than me!" she lied to both Raven and herself. Raven was almost as twice as strong as Jinx. She just didn't know it.  
  
"I wouldn't be too proud of myself if I were you!" Raven snarled. Jinx just laughed at her. Her sorcery became stronger just like Raven's mind abilities. She lashed out a purple rift at Raven but she blocked it by controlling the rift and sending it back at Jinx. Her eyes were wide with fear at what Raven would do next. But laughed, remembering that the disk, in any second, would control her. Slade's team would soon have a new and all powerful recruit on their side. He would be pleased.  
  
"Sister!" Raven heard Starfire cry as Blackfire flew above Mammoth. They were out numbered by one person. "No!! You were supposed to be in prison!!"  
  
"I wasn't about to stay in jail for all of eternity, little sister. You have to- LEARN THAT!" Blackfire yelled, shooting little black balls at her. Starfire just looked at her in discouragement. She was supposed to stay in jail for stealing that moon jewel.  
  
Just after the sibling's little argument and their beginning battle, something tingled the inside of Raven's mind. Her eyes went from black to red. Jinx stopped fighting her and Raven stood still, looking like she was sleeping while standing. Jinx gave another laugh.  
  
"You will join our team, and you will kill all of them!" Jinx ordered pointing at the Teen Titans. Raven nodded and began steadily walking to them. But Jinx grabbed her wrist and tightened her grasp, burning Raven's skin. "Not yet." Raven nodded and flew inside the S Tower.  
  
After a reckless two hours of fighting in and out of the house, Blackfire and Gizmo had given up in defeat laying unconscious that was soon to start a pile. Plausmus, in a coma, landed on top of them, with Mammoth following. The Teen Titans were going to win once and for all. Cinderblock was finished off as Cyborg and Robin did their sonic boom.  
  
"That's all of them!" Cyborg smiled, wiping his hands of Plausmus' goo. He dialed the police. A few minutes later, the police arrived and clamped the team of Slade's in chains and large glass tubes, leaving the Teen Titans in almost victory.  
  
"Where's Jinx?" Robin asked in concern. They were horror stricken.  
  
"Where's Raven?" Starfire asked looking around.  
  
"She's probably beating Jinx up on the roof! She'll be fine!" Beastboy claimed. But as soon as those words tumbled out of his mouth, Jinx came floating down. Raven holding her with her mind. After she was set down Raven flew down by her side.  
  
"You think I was being beat up by the most gothic girl ever? You wish," Jinx laughed. Raven, behind her, changed from a grey sweater, jeans and no shoes to her old uniform, except her uniform wasn't blue and black, it was red and black now. Her hood was covering her now red eyes but that didn't stop her from grinning at them. Starfire gasped and Beastboy just took a step back. Cyborg widened his eyes, leaving Robin to utmost surprise. "I'm controlling her now, and the only way to set her free is with words. If you put me in prison or kill me, that'll be your fault she's never going back to you."  
  
"Robin! Do something!" Starfire screeched. "We can't hurt her! She's our friends!" Her eyes yielding into tears. Beastboy agreed with her.  
  
"I- We- We just can't attack her-AH!" Robin leapt backwards from their evil team mates punch's. She kicked Beastboy in the face leaving him with a bloody nose. She tackled down Starfire and continually punched her in the face and neck. Starfire was crying against her will but saved by Cyborg when he threw Raven back. Starfire flew and picked up Beastboy, heading inside the house for safety. They had never seen Raven like this.  
  
"You're going down, missy!" Cyborg yelled. He punched Raven to a tree, but before Raven hit the tree, she regained her control in the air and flew at him, mentally chopping down the trees she passed and then flinging it to him. Robin being left all alone with no one to help him against the girl covered in a blood-red cloak was standing still, not flinching when he saw her or when she called out his name. She started to punch him in the stomach. He leaned over, clutching his sides. He then looked up at her in sorrow for her. She only shook her head and then kicked him in the face. He rolled over and was lying on his back. She was about to step on his neck and cut off his breathing cycle when a memory from the past began to take over her mind. The real Raven took off her hood.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Are you alright?" Robin asked. "If your dad is upsetting you, I'll help you fight him off." He looked at her kindly and she softened away the hard look she had a few seconds ago. He reached towards her hand and held it in one of his.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"What're you waiting for? Destroy him!" Jinx protested in her wait. Raven nodded and picked up Robin. She controlled a knife from the kitchen in her hand. She was fighting against herself.  
  
Flashback  
  
"You ok?" Robin filled with concern, asked. He was shirtless and washing it from the blood. He smiled with his belt still on and took out a miniature first aid kit.  
  
"I don't need that, I'm fine!" Raven bickered. Robin held back a bit.  
  
"Raven, don't try denying it, you're cut up," he leaned next to her wet body as he applied alcohol to her skin.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"Raven! What're you waiting for!?" Jinx yelled again. This time Raven wasn't about to stop, or was she?  
  
Flashback  
  
"What do you think of us?" He blurted out. This made Raven blush. She could tell him how she felt about him. How she exactly felt about him.  
  
"They're- they're what I would call extravagant," Raven ended. Robin just wilted his face. He expected her to say more. She read his mind, and it was obvious that he did care about her, but she wasn't sure if he cared about her in a more than a friend manner. "You - I li- I really care about yo-" She began but an alarm went off. Robin raced to the intercom.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"Let me do it then!" Jinx ran over and grabbed the knife. Robin kicked it out of her hand. Jinx just sat there, watching both of them. He and Raven stood, facing each other.  
  
Flashback  
  
"But I've got a special feeling about you two. Just wait, it will come to you," the old man smiled.  
  
End Flashback  
  
'A special feeling. right' Raven thought. She realized that not all of her was controlled yet. While she saw Jinx was on the ground, she made the knife hit the tree. Robin looked at her. He noticed her eyes had changed color. It was black now, just like before and it showed a great deal of torment.  
  
"Raven," Robin called out. She felt the disk finally going to the center of her mind. Before it did completely control her she did something to make Robin remember her forever.  
  
"Robin- I love," But instead of saying it, she thrust herself in his arms and kissed him on the lips. He held her and all the same, he kissed her back. The last of the real Raven blushed.  
  
Flashback  
  
She flew swiftly to Robin's room, her dress puffing in the skirt section. Raven knocked but heard a little giggle. She was confused. 'Does Robin giggle?' the thoughts whirled in her mind. The door was unlocked, but she wasn't sure if she should barge in like. Instead her head went through the wall to check on Robin, but what she found wasn't at all pleasant for her. Robin and Starfire had been kissing. She went back out and was ashamed that she walked in on them like that.  
  
"No, NO!" She cried out flying into her room, a mirror shattered and the pieces crashed into the wall, piercing it with every reflected image it had to own. The mirror had represented her very emotions.  
  
Shattered.  
  
Starfire and Robin?  
  
End Flashback  
  
By that time, her eyes went back to red then to light red, almost pinkish. Her eyes then turned white with only the black rim left of her eyes. Raven pulled away from the grasp of Robin's soft lips. She had finally crossed over to being controlled. He was still holding her.  
  
"I saw you," the evil Raven hissed.  
  
"Saw me what?" Robin was terrified that he'll lose her forever.  
  
"You and Starfire, a couple weeks ago," Raven whispered. Robin's mind zoomed back in time to when Starfire walked in his room because they had to talk.  
  
"That was an accident!" Robin confessed. She looked up at him, during the few weeks he had shot up three inches.  
  
"How was it an accident!?" Raven started screaming. She zipped into the air, but Robin's muscular arms held tight. The snow had swirled around them in command. The wind stung against their cheeks. They were standing on/in air while the rest of the world just watched. 20 feet below them, the wind swirled with Jinx yelling at Raven to defeat him. She ignored her.  
  
"She came in my room and we kissed! That's it!" Robin said, not telling the whole truth.  
  
"It can't be just that!" Raven sneered.  
  
"She told me she liked me and she was worried for you, and then without knowing it, we kissed!" Robin finally let it out. Raven looked at him with the same sad eyes.  
  
"Raven! This is your chance!" Jinx yelled. Raven filled with disappointment at doing what she was going to do, she nodded as Robin looked her in the eye. They were both charmed by each other's stare until Robin broke it of with a tight shut of his eyes and a scream of pain from the knife in his shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry," Raven whispered in his ears as they floated down to the ground. He fell on her and held his arms around her waist, knowing that if he let go, he might lose her forever. Robin's head rested on her shoulders, the bridge of his nose snuggled against her neck. He was unconscious now.  
  
"Let's go," Jinx commanded jumping away. Raven slipped Robin to the ground and flew away. After that, Starfire and Beastboy called the hospital to retrieve them both.  
  
Two days later_____________  
  
Cyborg had been recovered from the trees that hit him and luckily his strength had stopped it from crushing him. Robin was still in the hospital bed, but alive, thank God, and well. He although, hadn't waken up yet. After another few days of waiting for him, he finally woke up. The doctors, thank goodness, left his mask on, for the wishes of the team to not reveal his identity.  
  
"What happened to Raven?" was the first thing Robin asked. All of their heads hung down, eyeing each other. "Well!?" He was losing his patience, and his heart went faster when a nurse came in and told him to calm down. He listened to her but began questioning them once more after the nurse left.  
  
"She's on Slade's team now," Beastboy finally broke the bad news. 


	8. Remember Me

Chapter 8: Remember Me  
  
A/N* Thanks mucho to Tomboy for giving me the idea of Raven going evil!!!  
Thanks mucho! This chapter and the 7th chapter is dedicated to you!  
  
Sorry for making you wait for this chapter. I couldn't really get on all  
that much for the last two days... ^^;;  
  
After another week of sleeping, eating, searching, training and molding the tower back into a T, they've found Slade's hide out. They flew in together, thinking that Raven and Jinx were there together. Sadly, the found out that they didn't even step foot inside the hideout since after the control of Raven.  
  
"Where is she?!" Robin grabbed a fist full of Slade's jacket. Slade just smiled.  
  
"You can't find her here. She went to find new recruits for me!" Slade was dropped down with the police busting in. They took Slade in hand cuffs, because he was like all regular humans, not like his henchmen. He just laughed at them while the news reporters were huddle around asking all sorts of question.  
  
Slade still continued to laugh, "Jinx! I know this will show when you watch TV, you and Raven! Get me out of jail and I will pay both of you with 150 million dollars each!" The police just shook their heads and threw him in the back seat of the car where he just grinned at the reporter. After the police left with them, the reporters turned their attention to the Teen Titans.  
  
"Wow, so you finally got Slade in jail, how does that feel?" were being slurred in with, "Raven? Isn't that your team mate? And what're you going to do about Jinx?" With that, the four team mates took on two reporters each. After they were done answering enough questions, they all headed back to the T-tower. Robin headed for his room.  
  
'I don't understand. How did Jinx get control over Raven?' He thought. He sat at the end of his bed, face in hands, elbows on knees. 'I can't give in like this. I have to find her.' Robin stood up and walked by his table, banging his fist on it, to the window. He watched the planes go to the airport and the cars run across the bridge. He noticed two figures on the very top of the bridge though. One was cloaked and one had horns on its head.  
  
"RAVEN!" Robin gaped. He rushed out to their jet that Bruce provided for them and warmed up the engine.  
  
"Aye, Robin! Where're you goin' with our jet?" Cyborg questioned.  
  
"I saw raven on the bridge," Robin claimed from the seat of the jet. Cyborg climbed in. "What're you doing?!"  
  
"I'm going with you! Duh," Cyborg told. Robin just shrugged. Once it was warmed up, he opened the gate with a button and flew out.  
  
Meanwhile_________________  
  
"We'll bail out Slade and get our 150 mill and go spend the rest of our lives in Tahiti, got that?" Jinx proclaimed to Raven. Raven just nodded in agreement. "Look, here comes Prince Charming to your rescue, well, show 'em who's gonna get rescued!" Jinx pointed. The winter wind bittered the boys' chances of finding them through the thick snow. Raven landed on the nose of the jet. She looked Cyborg in the eye then Robin. She smirked at them. With a few swivels of her wrists, the right wing of the jet curled making the jet hurtle towards the ground. Raven jumped off and flew off, holding Jinx with her mind.  
  
As Raven and Jinx set down in front of the prison, Raven blew down the walls. Most of the prisoners escaped while the others were caught by the guards. They ventured into the wing where Slade was locked up. With a simple mind reading gesture, Raven found the code to open the technical lock. After inserting the correct cryptogram in, steel doors open and Slade was sitting in the middle of the chamber, locked in chains. He grinned.  
  
"Hello there, girls," his face was looking down but his eyes were staring at them. Jinx nodded at Raven, who in turn broke the chains that held Slade down. "Very good, guard me over to my new hideout and I'll be giving your reward there."  
  
As Slade drove off in his arranged car with Jinx and Raven, Cyborg and Robin were recovering from their crash. They had put on parachutes and jumped out just in time, landing on the bridge.  
  
"Great going, genius, now what're going to do?" Cyborg cried out, blaming Robin. Robin just looked at the accusing finger.  
  
"Cool down, Cyborg, we're still searching for her-them!" Robin covered up his act of care for Raven. After all, who would believe that such a normal looking boy would fall for one of the scariest girls living on earth? Cyborg always suspected that the leader liked (possibly more than like) the spawn of a devil.  
  
"How much do you care about her?" Cyborg asked, tilting his head upwards while looking down at Robin. Robin glanced at his face then looked to his right at the cars stopping to the side for police to drive and run by, searching for the loose prisoners. He was sitting at the edge with his feet dangling high above the water. Cyborg put his hand on Robin's shoulders, waiting for an answer. He didn't see them kiss for he was unconscious from the blows to his body.  
  
"Who? Starfire? I guess you could-" Robin started a lie.  
  
"No, you know who I mean. Raven!" Cyborg impeded, scrunching up his face. Robin glanced up again, but then down to his feet.  
  
"Raven." Robin whispered in the cold December air. He smiled at the sound of her name. He remembered, it had been two days after Halloween that they went to the amusement park, and hours later they had been attacked. It was now two weeks before Christmas and it already started to snow. "She's just a friend, nothing more."  
  
"I know you're lying," Cyborg mumbled and sat next to him. "C'mon, you can tell me, anything. ANYTHING." Cyborg smiled at him.  
  
"Ok, but you promise not to tell anyone, not even Beastboy," Robin told. Cyborg reassured him with a 'yeah, yeah' and was waiting for the answer to fly out of his mouth. "Raven- I think she's- my friend!" Robin grinned. Cyborg was pretty annoyed.  
  
"It can't be just that," Cyborg said. Those words, Raven spoke those words, and it pained Robin to be reminded that she thought he didn't care about her.  
  
Flashback  
  
"She came in my room and we kissed! That's it!" Robin said, not telling the whole truth.  
  
"It can't be just that!" Raven sneered.  
  
"She told me she liked me and she was worried for you, and then without knowing it, we kissed!" Robin finally let it out. Raven looked at him with the same sad eyes.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"I-" Robin started out. "Well, I guess you could say that I lo-"  
  
"Hey! We could use your help, here!" one of the police tapped their shoulders. They followed him with a 'right' and it took a few hours to round them all back to the jail. Although, now the police had to stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle, making sure that they didn't escape. Robin and Cyborg were close to make sure if one did, they'd catch him. Robin was relieved that Cyborg forgot all about the question.  
  
"Thanks for your help, we really appreciated it!" The chief police spoke up. "Finally, they're here. Round up the men and put them in the back. Don't forget to lock the door in and out. Let's go!" 20 buses appeared with a car just for Slade. After rounding them up and transporting the jailers to another location of prison, someone had called the two teen titans and the chief police.  
  
"Slade's missing! Put up warrants and send out the letter, let's go guys!" the chief yelled to the non-busy police. He seemed to end his statement with a 'let's go'. It really bothered Cyborg.  
  
"Remember when he was being taken away, he told Jinx that he would pay her if she got him out?" Robin asked.  
  
"Now we know who released him. We have to find them," Cyborg nodded. After calling up the rest, they searched the city.  
  
"There is no sign of Raven anywhere!" Starfire gasped.  
  
"It's ok, Star, we'll probably find them, soon," Beastboy hoped while walking along the river back, transforming into a hound dog, sniffing here and there. Little did they know, Slade's hideout was under water and one of the entrances was near them.  
  
Later_________________  
  
"Here's your reward money as promised," Slade told, handing them the suitcases. Jinx opened both of them searched it for any tracking devices or bombs or such like that. She checked with Raven to make sure. She shook her head, telling her that the whole thing was safe.  
  
Jinx stared Slade in the eye. "No funny business, eh?" She picked up the suit cases and headed to the door with Raven. When they reached it, Slade pressed a button on his pen inside his jacket. Once the button was pushed, the bombs exploded around them.  
  
"Just a last warning: if you do something I don't like, I'll personally hunt you down and kill you. Ahhaahah! And don't forget to kill the Teen Titans, just don't kill Robin, I want to kill him myself," he instructed the two girls. They nodded. Raven took Jinx with her and together they flew off.  
  
"Take me down there! I feel like eating," Jinx commanded. They went into a place where it was pretty much empty, save for the usual daily goers and the one-woman waitress + cashier. They sat down in the darkest corner where one would have to squint or shine a flashlight at them to actually see them. But Millie turned the corner lights on and ha-rumph-ed over there.  
  
"Welcome to Millie's Diner, I'm Millie. What can I getcha' sweet cheeks?" Millie offered in her husky, burned-by-cigarettes-vocal chords voice. She was an old (somewhere in her 60's), short, plump woman with a frizzy orangey hair. Her eyes were very tiny, but she smiled a lot, improving her appearance. She had a one inch pencil with the eraser gone in one hand and a pad of papers in the other. She wore a white apron over a much worn out dress that looked baby orange but used to be pink. Millie smiled at them again.  
  
"Uh.. I'll have uh-er- a puppy lettuce burger with a sprite," Jinx ordered with one eyebrow raised.  
  
"And what about you?" Millie asked Raven after writing down the order. Raven looked at under her hood.  
  
"One cheese burger with coffee," Raven ordered. Coffee. Robin never really liked coffee. But she remembered that he'd always drink it.  
  
"Raven," Jinx called. The controlled Raven was still pondering about Robin. Why did she like him again? No, she felt more than a like, but more of a love. Real love. Not the love you give to relatives. The One. He was the one to her. Jinx had enough of her spacing out. "HEY RAVEN!"  
  
"Yes?" Raven shot her head up.  
  
"Do you want anything else, love?" Millie asked Raven, putting one hand on her behind Raven on her chair. Raven shook her head. The waitress nodded and smiled again and left to the kitchen. After two minutes she brought their drinks.  
  
"Thanks," Jinx mumbled. Raven was still wondering about Robin. When someone was controlling you wouldn't remember who you were attacking. You wouldn't know if they were good or bad or if they were your loved ones or not. But somehow Robin stayed afloat in her mind as others sank. 


	9. Out of Breath

Chapter 9: Out of Breath  
  
Robin and Cyborg left to home but on the way, they stopped at a diner. They usually went there if they weren't going to eat pizza. It was a nice little diner that had the theme of the 50's. The place was cleaned everyday so there wasn't any food hazard. Robin waved at the daily-goers of the diner and then waved to the one woman waitress and cashier.  
  
"Hey Millie!" he called out. Millie walked out of the kitchen curtains and cleaned the table of the customers who just left.  
  
"Hey boys, should I get you the usual?" Millie asked. They nodded and took a seat by the window. Meanwhile, in the corner Jinx started choking on her burger. It was late and there were probably crime doings all over the city, what were they doing here?! She kicked Raven in the shins, followed by a glare from the half breed.  
  
"What is it that you want?" Raven asked in a looming voice. Jinx threw her head to the side to indicate that the boys who were after them earlier were after them again or not so because they couldn't tell who they were in the dim corner the two girls were sitting at. The ex-Teen Titan member only nodded but preceded with the phrase: "We're only in trouble if we get caught." Jinx agreed with what she said and ate her food.  
  
"So what're we gonna do about Raven?" Cyborg objected from his full mouth. Some bits of foods came sputtering at Robin. He spit out the piece that landed in his mouth and washed it out, dipping his tongue in the running water at the bathroom. He scrunched up his face in disgust while picking off the pieces Cyborg left on him.  
  
"First of all, we need to find her and-" Robin began. Cyborg was all too cheerful about eating at the moment and then some.  
  
"I know that, fool. How we gonna find her?" Cyborg spat. Robin used his forearm to wipe off the burger on his forehead.  
  
"Ok, just stop that!!" Robin leaned over the table yelling at him. Cyborg apologized and Robin continued. "We're gonna find her, fight her, beat jinx, not kill her, force the deactivating word out of her and ba-da- bing ba-da-BOOM! We got the old, crazy Raven back!" He threw up his arms and started a victory dance until stared by everyone then sat down across from Cyborg. Jinx smiled and whispered to Raven.  
  
"Now's our chance. Slade'll be begging to give us reward money if we get Robin in less than 24 hours. C'mon! We have to cream the big guy and kid nap Robin!" Jinx jumped out of her seats with Raven behind her, waiting to be introduced to a battle.  
  
"Looking for us?" Jinx mused. She sent some of her largest purple rays attacking them. Millie backed away and escaped through the back door, leading to an apartment, running out of there. The costumers ran around screaming, shoving each other through the door. Raven grabbed a chair through telekinesis and continued to beat down Cyborg with it, operating to just make him unconscious. With him unconscious it was now two against one.  
  
"Hey! Didn't anyone teach you to play fair?" Robin cogitated.  
  
"No!" Jinx returned in laughs. She jumped from table to table chasing Robin. He suddenly stopped to a halt when Raven levitated in front of him. She raised her hands and punched him in the face. A bloody nose activated and red liquid ran down his face. He didn't want to hurt her, but he had to. He ran to her but she stepped to the side, making him stumble, but he regained his posture. He quickly crouched down and swung one leg around, tripping her from behind before she could fly up. Raven leaned on one elbow then sprang up before Robin could kick her in the neck, missing her by an inch. She flew out of the broken window that was labeled Millie's Diner. Robin chased after, falling for her plan. She flew over a passing truck, as Robin followed by jumping on the truck then climbing up stairs to the roof of a building. Raven was waiting up there. Jinx only stayed below, waiting for Raven to carry him down.  
  
"Please! Don't do this Raven!" Robin cried out against December snow. She couldn't hear him though and sped into him, releasing one of the hardest punches he ever felt. He leaned over and she, using mind power, picked him up and brought him over there. He was floating in mid-air and was kicking his feet to get down anyway he can. She smiled in a menacing way and threw him against the vent. He grunted and landed down. He struggled to get up but she held him down with the weight of her body on her foot.  
  
"I'll get you to Slade, anyway I can!" Raven growled. She took a napkin out and covered his mouth and nose, forcing him to breathe in the gas that was soaked onto it. He passed out finally to her luxury.  
  
After she did that, she ripped the end of her cloak and tied it around his eyes, so if he became unconscious, he wouldn't see where Slade's hideout was. She got the rope supplied with her money and tied his ankles to his wrists. She carried him on her shoulders and jumped down to where Jinx was. They ran off to Slade's new hideout. When they entered, Slade was waiting for them, hands gripping a wine glass. He smiled so pleasantly, that it even started to scare Raven a bit.  
  
"Ah, so finally, the infamous Robin has come to me!" Slade pronounced to them. He stood up and withdrew a custom made dagger from a holster handing off the arm rest. It was made of pure white gold with jade, sapphire, diamonds, aquamarine gems implanted on its surface. "I've been saving it just for him." He walked over to the limp body and raised it over Robin's ear. Jinx grinned with glee. Just as it came flying down, half an inch away from the frames of his face, the knife jumped out of his hand and landed in Raven's hands. She didn't know why she did that. They took turns on looking confused.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know what came over me," Raven apologized. She handed the dagger back to Slade. Before he took it though, she cracked it with her mind. He glared at her, but all she did was glare back. She was pretty confused with herself right now.  
  
"What was that for?!" he scoffed at them. Raven looked down at the gems and white gold in bits and pieces. "No matter. I'll just kill him with this," he took the blade of the dagger and closed his fist around it tightly. His poisonous blood oozed down his hand in command from the slices of the blade. He smiled, "This blood will mix in with his, and he'll burn until he reaches hell!"  
  
Raven then felt something weird tingling the essence of her mind. Memories of when she spent time with him appeared. They were spending time at the beach last summer, which she didn't want to go to, but Robin forced her. The only thing she did was sit on the sand, in the same uniform as everyone else wore swimming attires. Robin tried getting her to play with everyone else in the water but she refused only sitting there in the sun on a towel. Instead of going to continue splashing Cyborg and taking silly pictures of each other, he sat right next to her. They didn't speak, they didn't do anything. They just stared at the vast beach until Raven made an attempt at staring at his face. She blushed at thinking of how wonderful he was. She knew this had been going on for a few months. First, when they met each other, they had their differences, but they weren't clones of each other. After a few weeks or days of convincing of herself, she figured she had a crush on him. Days turned into months as a crush turned into a liking. Half a year ago, it unexpectedly bloomed into a wonderful thing called love. But who was she trying to fool? Herself? She knew, that one day Starfire would announce her love to Robin and Robin would announce it back. It already happened at Batman's house though.  
  
She had to stop this murder. Raven flung a back-handed slap at his nose hard enough, causing it to break. She then kicked him in the stomach then the neck, paralyzing him. She turned her attention towards Jinx. Jinx was taken back a bit but then attacked her with her sorcery magic. Raven fought back with her demon powers from hell. They were both equal to each other. Raven sent the chair to Jinx's back but falling cause something great to happen to Jinx. She saw the customized dagger and picked it up. She threw it so close to Raven's heart that Jinx couldn't tell if she was dying or not. One thing she knew, Raven was sure bleeding her way to her father. Or not. Raven gasped and sputtered for air as Jinx blew a hole in the wall, causing water to break in.  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter if you're being controlled or not, so I might as well say it, huh? Heh, well, here it goes.  
  
The mind of a powerful one, Different from the powers of the sun Control this being with all your might But never give the truth of the sight  
  
It's stupid, my grandma made it up, but it works pretty damn well. Thanks for your help!" Jinx laughed, taking Raven's suitcase of money as well. The chip seeped out with her blood, never to be useful again. Jinx then escaped with Slade but caught by the police and the other Titans, when they made their way to the surface.  
  
"Hey! Where'd you take Raven and Robin!?" Beastboy asked. Jinx laughed once more.  
  
"She's drowning with her boyfriend," Jinx spat. Beastboy turned into a dolphin and swam down and grabbed Raven and Robin, dragging them to the surface. Robin sputtered after a CPR by a nurse saved him. Raven on the other hand was being taken to the ER. Robin rode with her to the hospital. He wasn't allowed with them to the operation room; he sat by the door even after he was told to sit in the waiting room with the others.  
  
After hours and hours of waiting, the doctor came out with a look of half joy and half grief on her face. Robin just stared at her.  
  
"She nearly drowned and the dagger-"  
  
"Whoa wait, what dagger?" he persisted with knowing all the facts.  
  
"It had poison in it. She was probably attacked with it while fighting whomever she was fighting. It was also dangerously close to her heart but we managed to recover her normal breathing and the poison was let out. The bleeding won't stop though." She finished.  
  
"She has like an external bleeding kind of thing?" he asked grabbing her shoulders. His head bent down with tears dripping down. She loosened his grip.  
  
"She might die from it, but we're working on closing the wound," Robin tightened his grip again. Another doctor ran out.  
  
"The bleeding stopped, she's going to live, Doctor Jenkins!" he rejoiced. She thanked him. Robin smiled through all the tears. He tried to run in the recovery room that Raven was put in but was stopped by Doctor Jenkins.  
  
"You can't rush into this-" she tried stopping him.  
  
"Please, let me stay by her side! Just let me! Please! I'm begging you," Robin cried out in despair. She cocked her head and smiled at true love and agreed. He asked her to tell the others to just go home and that he'll be back in the morning. She also agreed on that.  
  
After she left, he locked the door and sat next to Raven. She had her hand sticking out and with a sudden urge he entwined his fingers with hers.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, falling asleep on the edge of her bed with their hands still holding each others' hand. 


	10. Winter Love

Chapter 10: Winter Love  
  
A/N* This whole chapter is dedicated to all of my reviewers. Thanks so much  
for your help in getting this far with a story! ^__^  
  
Oh yeah. Sorry I couldn't update this. ^^;;; school started last week so I had a lot of school stuff to do and finish. Well, hope you like this one..  
and it's not quite over yet. (  
  
_______________________  
  
After days of spending nights in the hospital, Raven finally got to go home. Robin went to go pick her up and as they rode in a taxi, Robin tried desperately talking to her but all she did was look at him and nod her head or shake it. Raven was too ashamed and embarrassed that she let their enemies actually injure her. How could she have not known that they were actually trying to kill her too? She felt weak. And as they finally reached the tower she only walked ahead into her room. He repeatedly knocked on her door for a few hours, taking breaks. He was worried about her. She didn't even say, 'What is it you want this time, Robin?' like she always did when he knocked at her door.  
  
"I know you're in their Raven! Let me in!" Robin shouted, making a passing half robot man cover his ears and yelling at Robin to shut up. "Ok, geez."  
  
In the room, Raven was lying on her bed, in between covers. She tried to get away from it all. From Starfire's and Robin's little confession to each other, from their enemies trying to kill Robin- wait, she remembered, the day she and him went onto the killer roller coaster, those melted tracks. It was Jinx and the others. They must have done before the roller coaster was opened. After all, Robin and Raven were the first ones to go after they were fixing technical difficulties in the control system. She was now incredibly angry at the evil doers. Raven just shut her eyes and ignored everyone trying to call her. They all gave up after a few minutes. She didn't move that much for the fear of hurting herself from the dagger injury. Day after day, she laid in the bed and took quick painful showers. Raven hadn't eaten anything for a few days, but drank from the water in the sink of the bathroom.  
  
"Hey! Get your little dark butt out here and eat!" Cyborg yelled. Everyone on the team was worried about her. Beastboy tried to get through the door but the door contacted the ground. Starfire tried to blast open her door, but it only left scorch marks. Robin tried freezing the door with his disks and tried to crack it open. Nothing worked against the almighty door.  
  
Raven laid in her bed, her pain from surgery finally leaving but left a scar in her ribs. After another few set of days with the daily routine, she got up, took another shower and went out. Beastboy turned into a baby bear and hugged her. She only smirked a little and traveled on ward to the kitchen. She looked at the calendar and asked Cyborg, who was also wandering the halls, what day it was.  
  
"Raven!" Cyborg yelled, squeezing her, possibly adding more damage to the ribs. She smirked like when she was with Beastboy but just shook her head when he finally put her down. Raven clutched her side as she just nodded at all his comments about how worried everyone was for you. She cleared her throat to get his attention. Cyborg turned around and smiled at her. "Yeah?"  
  
"What day is it?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" Cyborg poked the calendar in a harmful way, pointing at the 24th of December. "It's Christmas Eve! Glad your back. Robin got you something real nice." He walked past her and patted her head. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his last comment. 'Real nice?' She thought. She read everyone's mind except for Starfire or Robin because she hasn't seen them yet. Neither Cyborg nor Beastboy knew what the present was but they knew Robin got her something nice.  
  
She sighed in her impatient state and looked out the window to see snow everywhere. Beastboy was still trying to decorate the place but failed so Starfire and Cyborg helped him. There was a large Douglas fir tree standing by the T.V. The place was decked with Christmas lights everywhere and cotton snow, ornaments were hanging from the tree with ginger bread men, half eaten string of popcorn, fake plastic candles (the kinds were the flame part if clear glass with a little orange light bulb inside), and an angel on top. The ceiling had lights criss-crossing each other as well. Little Santa hangings each had a name on it from the Teen Titans' team. It in was candy canes and Christmas treats. Under it was presents. She forgot to get them presents! She blushed in her dismay and dressed in clothing for winter.  
  
"Where are you heading off to, Raven?" Starfire asked. She shook her head not wanting to answer and headed outside where Beastboy and Cyborg were having a snowball fight. Starfire had bought some Missile Toes to hang on the middle top of each doorway, still not knowing what they do to two people who came across it. When she walked out of the doorway, Beastboy ran away from the snowball that was going to hit him but instead hit Raven in the face.  
  
"Why you-" She gathered all the snow from the tree tops in her hands and rolled it in two very heavy and very big balls throwing it at them.  
  
"Dude, I think Raven won," Beastboy said, shaking the snow off of his head. Cyborg popped out from a pile of feather soft snow.  
  
"But I ain't gonna give up," Cyborg grinned. He rolled am almost larger snowball than Raven's and threw at Beastboy. As they were still fighting, Raven flew off in her grey, wool hooded sweater with black cotton/wool gloves and a matching black scarf with little dangling strings at the ends of it. She wore little flare jeans with black boots. This was what Starfire had given to her as a Christmas present last year. She never thought she'd wear it.  
  
As Raven headed into the mall, she bought Starfire some pretty but expensive perfume and a dress. She got Cyborg portable recharger and a few hats he wanted; as for Beastboy, she got him a few chew toys, flea/tick sprays and one of the largest stereo systems (with speakers of course) they had in the electronic stores. It was larger than his original stereo system. For Robin, he didn't really know what he wanted. He was such a pure hearted guy that it was like he didn't want anything. After an hour of searching for what he wanted, she plopped down by the food court and the dance area where they were holding a contest. She watched every line up to sign up. She shook her head and just looked some more for him.  
  
"This is beginning to get pointless and excruciatingly arduous," Raven mumbled and ventured out of the store with all her belongings wrapped up by the customer service staff. She remembered how much he liked going to see movies, how much he liked playing video games, going to the amusement park and eating cookies. She flew to the nearest electronic store since she was already a few miles from the mall and bought him Game Cube and a few games for it, a PS2 and a Dream Cast. A couple of action games for those two. She also purchased the game: Animal Crossing for Starfire who loved animals. She also got him a two year pass to see any movie he wanted and a one year pass to the amusement park. With all those also wrapped up, she flew home.  
  
"Whoa, that's a lot of presents. Did you max out your credit card?" Beastboy presumed with him and Cyborg still fighting.  
  
"No. Unlike you, I don't max out any credit cards I have and I use a debit card," she scolded. Beastboy lowered his head to stare at the ground but fell over as a snow ball hit him in the face.  
  
Raven continued her way into the rec. room and set down her presents over under the tree. Starfire came out of the kitchen with a tray full of M&M's sprinkled cookies.  
  
"Raven! Shall you try our cookies? It is so tasteful!" Starfire exclaimed. She held out the tray.  
  
"Our?" Raven asked.  
  
"Yes! Ours: Robin helped with the cooking," Starfire told. She held out the tray. "You shall try." Raven nodded in everyone's happy mood and ate a cookie.  
  
"This is better than all your other cookies. What'd you do to it?" Raven asked.  
  
"Well, Robin-" The green eyed alien was cut off by Beastboy who grabbed a couple of handfuls and threw some in Cyborg's mouth.  
  
"Probably did most of the work," Cyborg finished. He was munching on the cookies.  
  
"Yes, and I will have to thank Robin for it," Starfire put the tray in Raven's hand and flew to the door way where a missile toe was hanging and bumped into a Robin. "Oh Robin! Thank you for helping me with the cookies." Beastboy and Cyborg chanted 'Kiss, kiss, kiss' over and over again.  
  
"Kiss? For what?" Starfire asked.  
  
"When two opposite genders are under a missile toe, they are forced to kiss," Raven informed. Starfire let out an 'Ohhh'.  
  
"Then we shall kiss!" Starfire clapped her hands. Raven, not wanting to see any of this put down the tray as Cyborg and Beastboy fought over the biggest cookie. Starfire and Robin inched closer and each other's lips finally touched. Starfire giggled and clung onto Robin's arm. Robin felt a little awkward because he didn't have those special feelings for her but only played along.  
  
"Geez, who are these from?" He noticed the five large wrapped boxes.  
  
"They're from Raven," Beastboy said.  
  
"She actually got us presents?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"She always does."  
  
"Well sorry! I forgot what she got me last Christmas!"  
  
"She got you a game."  
  
"Oh. yeah." Cyborg remembered. It was that racing game they always played. He turned on the TV and played that game again with Beastboy shaking his presents to try to figure it out. Starfire and Robin talked away into the night as Raven sat glum in her room, watching the city out of her window. She remembered she heard Robin whisper 'I love you' when she woke up finding him in her room but fell back to sleep. She wasn't pretending she was sleeping, she was too tired to keep her eyes open but she heard Robin and sensed his essence.  
  
'If he loved me, why does he kiss Starfire?' Raven was jealous but cooled won after reading dark poetry. It was Christmas Eve's and everyone was cheery. Even if she thought celebrating was pointless, she'd come out once every hour to go check on their celebration. This time although she stayed out in the rec. room.  
  
"Finally out? You want to grab something to-" Robin quizzed her.  
  
"Eat? I'm not hungry, and even if I were, I'd have no intentions of gaining more weight," Raven returned her reply.  
  
"Er- ok," Robin "You're already thin." Robin complimented. Raven blushed. She took a step back towards the door and headed out to the roof. No one ever complimented her on how nice she looked. Never. Robin was the first. She shook her head at the thought but ventured on some more about how Starfire always go the compliments.  
  
Flash back  
  
The group of teen fighting heroes just fought off a few burglars with extraordinary powers. They were at the bank and talking with the manager that they will see to it that no one ever tries to rob a bank without having being beaten first. Everyone seemed to be admiring Starfire's face and body but no one ever noticed Raven.  
  
Jealousy.  
  
"My, isn't she beautiful?" A lady pushing her 40's cried out in joy. Starfire was in the middle thanking them and laughing with them while everyone pushed Raven to the side to take a quite peek at the Tamaran Beauty.  
  
"Your hair looks so soft and nice!" A man called out to her. They took many pictures of her as her orange skin glowed. Raven watched then teleported to the outside where the rest of the Teen Titans were waiting. She was supposed to wait for Starfire but it had been a mere 15 minutes when people started to notice her 'sweetness'. Finally after another hour and then they headed to towards home.  
  
End Flash backs  
  
Robin climbed the stairs to roof to find Raven sitting at the edge. The wind blew to her right side to cause her hair to be flying in this way and that. She looked down at the city. Christmas lights lit the city like it was on fire. Parties were being thrown but she knew, everyone knew, that after Christmas, one of the happiest times of the year for most, it would soon be over.  
  
"Hi!" Robin smiled. The soft snow crushed beneath his feet. Raven turned around with such sad but envious eyes that it startled him.  
  
"Don't you have Starfire to watch over?" she snipped through his good beginning of welcoming.  
  
"Actually I wanted to spend time with you," he almost whispered. Raven didn't know this. He had gotten so much better at blocking people reading his mind unless he had his guard down but right now, his guard was up.  
  
"Spend-time-with-me," she repeated slowly. Robin nodded and sat next to her. "What makes you want to?"  
  
"Er- well- er- you should spend 'quality' with everyone here, and you probably start with-" Robin cut off in what Raven was about to say.  
  
"You should spend time with Starfire; she's the one who likes you," she whispered in his ear, getting up walking to the door. Robin sprung up as well and stopped Raven in her tracks. She was halfway to the door when Robin stuck his hand out placing it on Raven's wrist.  
  
"I don't like Starfire in that way, I only like her as a friend," Robin described. Raven stiffened her body at the new fact she just received. She lowered her head to the ground.  
  
"You two kissed! Twice!" Raven shouted in truth. The boy wonder let go of her wrist and they stood facing each other, the girl's hand, clenched, the boy's head, looking down in defeat.  
  
"It didn't mean that much to me," Robin broke the silence.  
  
"But it did mean something to you," Raven told.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Well it would be better if it were from you!" he shouted.  
  
Battle Commence.  
  
"She likes you though! Don't hurt her!"  
  
Defeat.  
  
"I know that." Robin trailed off. He grabbed her wrists again and held tightly but not so tight that it burned her.  
  
"I'm dark," Raven tried to get him away from her before he would hurt her.  
  
"I like insane evil girls," Robin stepped closer.  
  
Rooted Feet.  
  
"You don't understand me," Raven let out.  
  
"Then let me try."  
  
Another step.  
  
"But Starfire likes you a lot," Raven didn't know what else to say, she turned her head away from his face.  
  
"ARGH! I KNOW YOU LOVE ME THOUGH! I CAN SEE IT IN YOUR EYES! Geez! Do you think I'm blind!? You love me, Starfire only likes me! There's nothing wrong with you loving me! Tell me you love me. Give the whole routine a break already! I've known for weeks now and you still deny it!" Robin roared at her. Raven stood still, emotionless. "Just admit, ok!?" Robin was now grappling with her wrist. She wrenched it away and stared him in the eye. Being offended by what he just said, she raised her right arm and brought it down to his face, slapping him. He was now the one ashamed, he didn't mean for it to happen like this. He wanted to tell her he loved her while she was awake. She started to fly off as he kneeled and punched the ground, being angry with himself.  
  
It was now their celebration dinner and Starfire and Beastboy were dancing to a few of his salsa songs. Beastboy tried to teach her how to but failed.  
  
"Move over, I'll show you how a real man would dance with a fine lady," Cyborg shoved Beastboy to the ground and turned to one of his favorite song on the CD. Starfire looked mused over what he was doing. Being dressed up, Cyborg in his black suit and Starfire in a red strapless dress, danced to the song. Starfire got the hang of it when it was done. And with the last bit of ending to the song, Cyborg tipped Starfire over and laughed at Beastboy, almost dropping Starfire but held onto her. Beastboy widened his eyes at how well they danced.  
  
"I could do better!" Beastboy lied. Cyborg huffed. Starfire placed her gloved arm-hand over her mouth to surpress a giggle.  
  
"Wanna bet?!" Cyrborg leaned over Beastboy, who was now terrified. Just then, Robin walked in trying to look cheerful, red from embarrassment from what he did to Raven. He looked up at the Mistle Toes and glared at them, trying to burn it down. He didn't succeed and after a few hours a door bell rang. Since there was nothing better to do than watch Beastboy get jealous at Cyborg for dancing so well.  
  
"Uhh-Hi," Robin greeted.  
  
"I lo-l-love you, then." 


	11. Illumination

Chapter 11: Illumination  
  
A/N** Awww man. one more chapter to go and then I'm done... But I do really  
hope you like this chapter. I had fun writing this and thanks for your  
reviews! ^_^  
  
Robin looked at Raven, not just shocked, but more than pleased. Raven stayed outside, snow drifting in her silky smooth hair. Noticing that the door was being the divider for both of them, Robin stepped closer.  
  
"I lo-" Robin began.  
  
"Robin! You must come with us and dance and enjoy the festivities of Christmas! It's only 45 minutes from midnight of Christmas!" Starfire squealed in joy. Robin nodded and went arm in arm with her. Raven watched them. She really didn't think that she should've joined this team. Why again? Oh yeah, to defeat her father. They already did that; they didn't have to affiliate with her anymore. Raven felt left out. She followed them with head bowed down to her chest, watching the floor zoom past and legs shuffle fast. When she walked in the room, everyone was dressed up, even Robin, Raven was the only one not in fancy clothes. They stared at her and made some comments.  
  
"Yo, Raven, how come you're not wearing any dresses?" Beastboy began the questions.  
  
"And how come you're all wet and stuff?" Cyborg added.  
  
"Where've you been?" Starfire stated next. She didn't even realize that Raven was just behind Robin when she went to fetch him. She clenched her teeth together and tears welled up in her eye. Was she that oblivious to the group? Were they? If they felt that way about her, maybe she shouldn't be spending time with the team, not even Christmas.  
  
Raven lead herself to her room and looked at the pure white dress that she bought if maybe, just maybe Robin liked her and they could choose to be with each other. It didn't happen so she put on that dress in stead for Christmas; she wanted to see their expressions for when they opened their gifts from her.  
  
She heard, 'oo's' and 'ahhhhh's' when she was drifting down the stairs in her new dress after she took a shower.  
  
"Where'd you get that dress?" Cyborg smirked.  
  
"When did you go shopping?! That dress is beautiful!!" Starfire gasped. It didn't glimmer but it was very eye-catching with the present of each and every curve bellowing out.  
  
"Yeah, when did you go shopping?" Beastboy added last. She only smirked at them then shook her head. She walked past them all playing board games with Robin, Robin face darkened with the color of scarlet and looked down. As she headed into the kitchen, she noticed everything was cleaned this time with food for dinner. She ran out to them in her white dress, high heels and red accessories and asked them why there were so many food laid out on the table.  
  
"Oh! We're having a party!" Starfire shrieked. Just then, the door bell rang and Beastboy came to greet the guests. Raven and Robin stood side to side, watching hundreds of people flood in ten minutes before midnight. Raven watched them as Robin surveyed her face. He looked at her eyes, and their gaze met each others. He cleared his throat to mention that a few people around them were watching. She looked down at his feet then turned her attention to her bare toes wiggling in nervousment at what he might say next.  
  
"How-are. you?" Robin began. Raven looked up at him, meeting his eye then looked past it.  
  
"My day is going fine," Raven noticed people kissing each other under the missile toes and ignored them, staring at Robin in between his eyes, at the bridge of his nose.  
  
"About earlier-" they began in unison. The boy who Raven met at the club while Blackfire was here tapped her on the shoulders. She whirled around and plastered a smile on her face. Robin's eyes burned with jealousy and he just watched them talk.  
  
"You haven't talked to me in a few months," he told Raven.  
  
"Sorry, although we hadn't, I still consider us as friends," Raven apologized. Apparently this boy liked Raven, even if Raven knew; she'd play along, pretending that he didn't. He grabbed Raven by the hand; Robin quietly followed them until they reached the remaining missile toe. "What do you think you're doing?" Raven pleaded as the boy held tight to her waist. She tried to let go but didn't want to hurt him physically. His face was now just an inch apart, his hands at her neck to keep her from restraining her head away. His breath brushed against her check and she could scent the hint of alcohol on his tongue. She almost pried loose as she didn't want his arm to be broken; she tried flying away but the boy just grabbed her leg and pulled her down. Robin knew it was his turn to 'save' her.  
  
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Robin cried out, trying to stop him from harassing Raven.  
  
"I'll do whatever I'll want!" he slurred. He was growing drunker as he took a beer can and slurped it all down. He threw the can at Robin who dodged and pushed Raven against the wall. Raven kicked him in the chin, as he fell over back wards. Robin pulled her closer to him. He held onto her shoulders. She jerked away as if he were a contagious germ. He was bewildered.  
  
"I don't like to be touched," Raven whispered to him, her head down in embarrassment that someone did touch her and she didn't do anything about it. Robin gritted his teeth in anger. He had tried to save her and now she was acting like this? Raven looked up at him. "But, you are my friend and that is different." Raven smiled then teleported to the kitchen to grab some food before he could say anything.  
  
There were hundreds of people they didn't know, and only a few to name. Raven walked through the dancing people and looked at the kitchen in disgust. She bumped into Starfire who greeted her and then danced again with Cyborg, with Beastboy trying to practice his moves on another girl who was blond. The blond just smiled at him and started to dance with Cyborg. Beastboy and Starfire began dancing. Raven's eyebrows lifted in surprise and she left them alone and then teleported to the roof where she found Robin.  
  
"Hi," Robin greeted, he was watching the city as usual, and the lights flickered off one by one as the other parties ended but this one continued. They stood side by side. It stopped snowing and the skies were cleared as the stars ventured out and decorated the sky. Raven watched in approval as Robin continued to stare at her face like all those other times. They could hear and feel the music of a slow song. The words were clear and Raven began humming along with the tune to pass the time. Even if he didn't really realize it, her voice was soft and light, beautiful. When she was speaking though, it was dark and somewhat eerie but the team paid no attention to it. Her eyes seemed sad as she sang the last words. He remembered that Starfire would get all the attention after they were done fighting and Raven was left in the dust. All the male members of the team noticed how much Raven envied Starfire.  
  
Raven felt his stare and it warmed her on this cold winter night. She didn't stare back hoping that he wouldn't take his eyes off of her.  
  
"There is something we need to discuss," Raven interrupted his memories.  
  
"Like what?" Robin asked.  
  
"Our friendship," Raven said in a monotone voice. Robin just looked back at the water. A ferry they ordered was tied to the dock after it dropped the last load of people off.  
  
"Well, we're just friends," Robin truthfully told. Raven sighed, knowing he didn't lie. She wanted them to be more than that.  
  
"Then that's what we are, friends," Raven completed their little discussion. "I suppose, then, that you'd be better off talking with Starfire up here rather than me, correct?" Robin frowned and shook his head.  
  
"Why are you like that?" Robin grabbed her arm before she ran back downstairs.  
  
"Like what?" Raven innocently asked. She barely knew what was going on in his head, or her head to say the least.  
  
"You're always running away from us. You never ever show your emotions and you always shut us out! Aren't you tired of doing that? Not becoming that good of friends with us?" Robin yelled at her. Raven pulled her arm away. Of course, she never noticed that she shut out people so they wouldn't hurt her or she wouldn't hurt them, but it was habit formed since she was little.  
  
"I never noticed," Raven plainly mentioned. "Sorry," she apologized. Robin took a deep breathe in. She headed towards the door but Robin stopped her again. Her favorite slow song was playing downstairs as they were using the stereo system that Raven got for Beastboy. The volume was turned up to the max and with the stars dancing along to the song; it was like a winter paradise.  
  
"Wait, Raven! I was wondering. Erm- do you- er- wanna dance with- me?" Robin was hot from embarrassment and he was scratching the back of his neck with his hands and rubbed his feet together.  
  
"Sure, I suppose," Raven smiled. She blushed as he put his hands on her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck. The ever lasting tune carried out its duty to bring the two teen titans together. A few other songs played by Fate had organized Raven's head to lie on Robin's shoulders. As hours passed, and sunset crept up, Raven and Robin sat at the edge of the Tower's roof, looking out to the east. Some people left, others stayed and spent the night. The whole C.D. was repeated but the two on the roof didn't mind.  
  
"It's pretty," Raven complimented the orange, purple and pink rays. Robin nodded. Raven started to grow tired, after all she spent the whole day thinking, shopping and dancing yesterday. Her eye lids started to drop down little by little.  
  
"Yeah, it is," Robin added. 'But it's not beautiful, like you.' He thought. "Have you ever wondered what would happen if we didn't meet?"  
  
"The whole team?" Raven whispered a question. He shook his head.  
  
"No, just us. What would you be doing? Would you be the one on the team and me the one being Batman's sidekick forever? Or would you be out in school, hiding your powers? Would we have different friends?!" Robin stopped with the questions to think, but continued on in a whisper, "What happened if we never saw each other? Would I be so desperate to meet someone like you? What would you have done?" He took a small breathe and continued, "Raven, I don't want us to be separated- ever. I won't let anything come between us; I want to stay with you. If anything happens to you-Don't change, please. I want to stay by your side."  
  
"Hmmm." was the first thing that escaped from Raven's lip. She had fallen asleep. Her head plopped down on Robin's shoulders and stayed there. Her soft breathing glided through the air as he said one more word to her  
  
". Forever..." 


	12. White and Red

Chapter 12: White and Red  
  
A/N** Ok- OK! This isn't the last chapter after all, but it would be more than 13 because I plainly just don't like the number 13, not that I believe in any of that. Ok so I do, you can't blame me. ^^;; Here's the not last  
chapter!  
  
A/N** And I got the cold idea from Fruits Basket. ::sniffs:: I love that anime, you should watch it- if you like fluffy pure stuff! :D Thanks Orrie, for introducing that show to me! Yay! Go read her stories, her pen name's Orrie, or you can just look her up at my favorite author's section. Also, read Joy-chan's and asianbabygrl03's stories! They are freaking awesome!!!  
Look them up at my favorite author's section.  
  
Robin cocked his head to side to take a quick look at Raven resting at his shoulders. He laid her body out and took off his jacket, placing it on top of her, to keep her warm. Avoiding the drunk and sleeping bodies, he carried Raven to her room and rested her on her bed. Being as tired as she when she was awake, he sat on the ground against her bed and fell asleep there.  
  
Several hours later, Raven woke up with a slight head ache, pulsing against her temples. Her face was ever so pale but she tried to keep up her usual appearance. Almost tripping over Robin, she telepathically set Robin on her bed, covering him with all the blankets she owned, making sure he didn't catch a cold. Raven didn't know it, but he was still a wink awake and sniffed her pillow. It scented like dew on watermelons. He remembered the smell before he fell into a slumber.  
  
She took off her high heels and set them to the side, luckily, she locked her door before anyone entered her domain and before it was trashed as the halls were. She stepped over spilled pop, and cautious of stepping on a person, she floated over them, to the locked away Christmas presents. She opened them and was carrying Starfire's gifts and closed the lock again, in case anyone was too wake up.  
  
"Starfire, wake up. It's me, Raven," Raven sternly let out. Starfire woke up, in her little pajamas and gasped.  
  
"Raven! It is the holiday of Christmas today!" Starfire chirped. She ran up to Raven and squeezed her, making Raven drop Star fire's presents, "Merry Christmas!"  
  
"I came here to drop off your presents, in case anyone might steal it," Raven informed truthfully. Starfire raised an eyebrow, but leaped in with a surprising yet helping advice, "Why not store the assorted presents in the locker and then we shall open them when everyone is gone? It shall be easier!" Starfire yelled in joy. Raven nodded, it wasn't a bad idea after all. After that, Raven took a shower and dressed up in the clothes Starfire forced her to wear.  
  
Flash back  
  
"Raven, we shall wear these assorted clothes! Let us rejoice in the holiday!" Starfire clasped her hands together after dropping a traditional yet skimpy and fashionable Ms. Clause suit in Raven's hands. Raven shook her head and dropped it at Starfire's feet.  
  
"No. It's pathetic and pointless to celebrate in those!" Raven bit. Starfire whimpered.  
  
"But Raven! Please!?! I shall weep now, I am very sad!" Starfire moaned and wailed out loud waking a few people around them. "Please?" Raven couldn't take one of her wailing and agreed making Starfire happy. "Thank you, Raven! I will see to it that each and everyone of us will be happy this holiday!"  
  
Raven only groaned.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Starfire and Raven dressed alike but Starfire got a shawl while Raven got a scarf. Starfire's Santa dress looked nice on her but better on Raven. The aliens dress stopped high at her thighs like her skirt with trimmings on every open end of white fluff. The red velvet only graced at the edge of the curves of the body while on Raven, it hugged every curve. The bottom was the same but the top was different. It was spaghetti strap with the trimmings of white fluffies as well. Her scarf covered her elegant, slender neck; her gloves decorated her fingers and she had black leather boots on, wrapped around her petite foot with zippers on the inside of her legs. It had the same border at the end and was also velvet red.  
  
In one hour, Raven and Starfire woke the people and forced them out, considering that there were at least 55 people. After they were done, the girls cleaned up the trash that was spread across the halls and the room. Making it easier for the both of them, Raven pushed all the waste in one corner in each room. Starfire would put them in the garbage bags. After taking the trash outside, they came back in and re-paired all of the broken strings of fake snow and replaced the broken ornaments.  
  
"Now what shall we prepare?" Starfire asked. Raven thought for a bit but was interrupted by a few sneezes.  
  
"I think lunch would be a good idea," Raven injected, with that, Starfire followed her to the kitchen. They baked loaves of bread, placing them in a wooden basket. The two team mates positioned the butter and sugar next to it. Starfire made ginger bread men and made a stand for each of them. Raven, on the other hand, was making spaghetti and meatballs, clam chowder, and for Beastboy, rice with tofu, soy sauce and soy milk. She set them down at the table and went to help Starfire who just set the turkey on fire in the oven.  
  
"Raven? What do we do? I don't know what to do!" Starfire whined. She was scared. Raven muttered an 'azarath, metrion, zinthos' and ceased the fire to keep burning. Starfire yelped and hugged Raven. Raven only waved her hand.  
  
"Just don't do that again. Erm- don't touch the stove, oven or toaster again," Raven ordered. Starfire looked down and nodded. "You go get them, Robin's in my room."  
  
"In your room? Why?" Starfire now became suspicious of her. Raven blushed.  
  
"He fell asleep on the floor by my bed. Go-"  
  
"How did he fall asleep on the floor by your bed in your bed room?"  
  
"I fell asleep outside and he put me inside, and he fell asleep on the floor," Raven answered. Starfire's hands automatically smashed Raven's cheeks. Raven held tight to Starfire's wrist and pried her loose. "We didn't do anything!"  
  
"Oh," Starfire chuckled as Raven watched Starfire go up the stairs.  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
For Starfire, it was hard to wake anyone up especially Cyborg, but Beastboy was already up, exercising his legs as a dog. When she entered Raven's room for the first time in her life, she suspected it to have rats and bats but she seemed surprised to see a globe.  
  
"Why would she need a globe?" Starfire asked herself. She ventured a few more steps until she saw Robin lying under her blankets. She shook him lightly and he groaned in sleepiness. "Assorted cuisine and beverages are waiting at the table, Robin." Robin looked at her from under the piles of blanket and nodded.  
  
"I'm going to take a quick shower first, Star," he muttered. Starfire nodded and followed him down the hall until she reached Cyborg's room. The door slid to presence of a team member and she woke him up quickly.  
  
While that was going on, Raven waited by the table like she and Alfred did at the playboy millionaire's mansion. Beastboy and Starfire walked out together, Beastboy telling lame jokes while Starfire, not getting it, laughed. Raven shook her head.  
  
"Where's Cyborg and Robin?" Raven asked.  
  
"Um, Robin has gone to wash up and Cyborg had also," Starfire replied. She smiled and sat at the couch to play games with Beastboy while they waited. Raven, taking advantage of the time, went to her room and made the bed and sniffed the pillow. The essence of his body peeked out and his hair gel smell was spread across the top of the pillow. She sighed though, he never told her how he felt about her, or at least, she never heard it. Sitting on the ground, meditating relaxed her nerves of Christmas preparations. There was a few knocks at her door.  
  
"Raven? You in there? It's time to eat!" Cyborg yelled then left. Raven took a quick look at the clock on the wall. 4:28 PM. 'A late lunch, but oh well,' she thought.  
  
Gliding down the stairs, she smelt the food she cooked. If it weren't for her control emotions, she's be drooling. Cyborg, Robin and Beastboy looked at her from the dining table, mouths stuffed. Cyborg swallowed his spaghetti noodles whole.  
  
"Uh. did Starfire make you wear that?" Cyborg asked. She nodded and sat next to him, which was the only seat left. All the guys stood up, which made her pretty confused. "She made us wear this," he added. They all had the same yet fitted white Hanes shirt with the same material pants as her dress with black army boots. She smirked at them. All pants were a little baggy but the Hanes shirt showed a hint of their muscles.  
  
They proceeded with Christmas day by eating and opening the presents. Raven's slight head ache grew worse by the minute. She only nodded as they opened the gifts from her. They were surprised to see how generous Raven was this year. All her gifts were the same, horror books and soothing music for meditation, although she liked the music better this year because last year they had bought her gothic music, something to disturb her thoughts. She shuddered. Robin bought her something different, a diary with a note inside. She didn't notice it and as she stood up to go to her room, the note fell out.  
  
She looked at the diary and quotes and poems written inside of the cover. Under it were little side notes from Robin. Sure, it was book, but a different kind of book. She coughed maniacally, and tried to resolve the fit of coughs with water. Unfortunately, she dropped the glass of water and slumped down to her knees and palms. As by Fate, Robin walked in and worried by her sickness, helped her to her room and brought in left over calm chowder. He sighed through his nose and tucked the blankets under her chin. Her face red with fever appeared in eyes tearing from coughs. Robin told her to get a few naps and she obeyed.  
  
"Ay," Raven grumbled. Her headache was slightly less pounding than the last, and she looked at the glass of warm tea next to her bed, she picked it up and drank. Jasmine, one of her favorites. While she was enjoying this hot beverage, a knock came at her door. "Leave me alone!" she replied coldly, thinking it was Starfire. She didn't want any excited cheers about Christmas so soon. Against her wish, the door slid open and there stood Robin with another hot bowl of soup, this time it was chicken noodle soup.  
  
"You need to eat this," Robin told, putting it on her nightstand. She shook her head.  
  
"I'm fine," Raven lied, "I've healed." Robin, knowing she was being too modest, put a hand to her forehead. Raven blushed, sending heat to spread around her body.  
  
"You're burning," Robin said. She only looked away, as if she never heard his statement.  
  
"I don't need anything, I'm fine!" Raven shouted at him. He stepped a few paces backwards and watched her stand up. Her knees turned to water and she collapsed, but her fall stopped as strong arms held tight to her. He lifted her up and hugged her. Her face buried in his muscular chest, her arms were to the side but lifted up and grazed his elbows. His nose was digging deep into her soft hair, arms around the small of her back.  
  
"Do you know what would happen to me if- if you ever got hurt? Do you know how I'd feel?" He blurted out loud to her. She looked up at him, softening her hard, dark eyes. It seemed forever they looked at each other that way. She pushed him and away.  
  
"It's alright, I'm fine. There's not much to worry about me, Robin," Raven told. She walked out of the room. And found Starfire looking over something. "What're you reading?" She interrogated. Starfire shook her head and replied with a 'nothing.' Starfire only lied, but the headache in Raven's temples scratched at her health, making it hard for her to read minds, or even stare at them while they talk to her.  
  
Starfire watched her go down the stairs as Starfire slouched against the wall, re-reading the note that she noticed falling from Raven's diary.  
  
'To: Raven  
  
Every year, I noticed that you got books and CD's. This year, I didn't think you would want any more books, since you still haven't touched the one we got you last year. It struck me that you probably were sick of reading the same plot over and over, so I got you this diary. Something you can write your thoughts in, instead of meditating all day.  
  
I don't know when you're going to read this. But when you do, I want to talk to you. Soon.  
  
From: Robin'  
  
Starfire held it to her heart, pretending it was to her. She wanted to meet him and she wanted to be the one to get the different gift. She wasn't though. Even when she was sad, she smiled. These past few weeks, emotions began to show in Raven's eyes, and Starfire noticed the soft glances she gave to Robin or the ones he gave to her; or how they saved each others lives, risking their own. Starfire knew this was true love. She couldn't interfere, especially with this special bond, but she would play a part in their coupling by pretending to not know. Beastboy and Cyborg already knew about Raven's feelings towards Robin, but they didn't know about Robin. 


	13. Fantasy

Chapter 13: Fantasy  
  
A/N** Even though everyone made their new Teen Titans home at the Cartoon section, I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews!!!!!! **MUAH!!** Lol. umm... Yeah. I'll be writing more Teen Titan fics at the Cartoon Section  
after this. ^__^  
  
As Raven stepped by the trees out side, (it was three days after she began the cold), she bit her lip in process then picked up a handful of snow. She threw it up and let her 'Happy' side show, laughing as if she was a child. With out realizing it, her happiness levitated her self as well as all the lumps of snow, making it pop, scattering all the flakes back to the snow. She then twirled around with her eyes closed, forcing a light winter wind to pick up and created a whirl wind of snow and leaves. Raven joyfully sighed and set her self down.  
  
She started thinking what Robin told her.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Do you know what would happen to me if- if you ever got hurt? Do you know how I'd feel?"  
  
End Flashback  
  
She blushed at that quote. Sitting on a branch high above the ground, she mumbled it over and over again, re-playing the scene over again as she said those words. How could she have not said anything? She couldn't just. just. just tell him that she loved him? It seemed like it was the perfect timing, but perhaps it wasn't the prefect place. After all, it was kind of creepy, with books and statues everywhere. The only thing that did bring hope in her room was the candles.  
  
Of course she told him she loved him before being completely brain-washed, but that didn't count. And of course, she meant it with all her heart, but that didn't count either.  
  
She wanted her love to be out of comfort, not force. Raven watched Cyborg and Beastboy roughing it out in the ways of a video game while Starfire followed an impatient and worried Robin around.  
  
Raven stepped at the edge of the branch, floating her body while her toes touched the edge, careful not to break it. She then jumped, head first, her gray scarf displaced itself from her slender neck and trailed behind her as she turned the other way, grabbing the scarf and landing on her feet. When she headed inside, Robin rushed up to her and put a hand on her forehead, checking her temper, a bowl in his other hand.  
  
"Didn't I tell you to get rest?" Robin asked as if he was her older brother. She blinked twice and pushed past his shoulder, ignoring him. He stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder. He held out the bowl. "Umm. Starfire made this 'fever pudding'. It's supposed to help cure your. cold."  
  
"I'm not sick. I'll be fine," she repeated. She took the bowl from him and walked over to the bathroom toilet to flush it down. Robin denied what she was doing and took it back.  
  
"It's supposed to help you!" Robin cried out. She only tried to take it again, but he backed away, took a spoonful and shoved it in her throat. She scrunched up her face in disgust and almost spit it out in the toilet bowl. Robin recognized her behavior and covered her mouth, pressing his palm tightly against her lips. She was about to spit it out on him too. "Good, now swallow." Raven obeyed.  
  
"This is humiliating," she said as Beastboy walked by, laughing at them. She pushed past Robin once more and kicked Beastboy in the shin, causing a glare effect to happen. Robin followed her through out the day, making sure she was swallowing what he thrusted into her mouth. When the bowl was empty he left her alone and went to play video games.  
  
Meanwhile, Raven stayed in her room, looking through all her other gifts. She put her books in the unread section of the book case, her new Goth CD's in the Gothic section of her room and her diary. Under her pillow so that no one could read her thoughts.  
  
She looked at the corner of diary sticking out. Raven pulled it out and opened it, reliving her feelings, reading the first entry from that morning. She then wrote some more in it, trying not to sound too depressed or too perky at the same time.  
  
December 25, 2003  
  
The fever got to me. I have a head ache, but I'm fine. Robin doesn't believe me.  
  
I can tell from other's eyes that it's obvious that my feelings for him are true, but it's not the time-  
  
Raven's headache grew suddenly horrible and throbbed through her head, her cheeks scarlet from coughing and suddenly she fainted. She fell forward on her bed and her pen ran a line through the page. Starfire knocked on the door just right after she did.  
  
"Raven? Hello? Are you in here?" Starfire flew through the open doors. Her note held close to her chest, she continued, "I wanted to talk to you about a note. I have found it on the floor. it contains a message from Robin. Raven? RAVEN!" Starfire gasped and rushed up to the telekinetic. She shook her shoulders vigorously. "Raven!?" Starfire picked Raven up and carried her body to the couch.  
  
"Oh yeah! I'm gonna get you!" Cyborg yelled before Starfire blasting him off the couch.  
  
"Sorry, friend, but Raven is hurt!" Starfire nervously smiled. She smiled at Beastboy who was also on the couch and jumped off. Starfire gently laid Raven down. Robin sat on the ground by Raven and kept silent. They inspected her forehead and Robin was the first to reach the phone when they called their personal doctor.  
  
"Raven's sick and we wanted you to check her," Robin calmly said. He was frantic inside. Raven never passed out on her own (except when she lost energy to fight). The doctor agreed and arrived shortly after.  
  
"Where is she?" the doctor interrogated. He pushed past all of them and rushed over. For a few minutes, he checked her temperature and blood pressure. "She has a very high fever, umm, pneumonia if you will. Just give her plenty of warmth, liquids and have her take these antibiotic pills every 6 hours and call me when her symptoms get worse or better. If her nails or lips ever turn blue or gray, call me about that too. Will talk about the bill, later and call me in the next hour or so.. Here's my number." He scribbled out all the information they wanted and they scribbled out all the information that they could answer about Raven.  
  
"When's Raven's birthday?" Beastboy asked. Cyborg shrugged.  
  
"Where was Raven born?" Cyborg continued.  
  
"Azarath!" Starfire glumly exclaimed. Cyborg raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders at Beastboy who was also confused and wrote it down.  
  
Hours later, Raven awoke, shivering. Robin carried her to his room since her room was always cold. He turned up the temperature and threw the extra blankets on her. He boiled hot tea and left it by her bedside, always pouring it out and refilling it every time the cup became cold.  
  
"You-You don't. ha-have to d-do-ddo thi-th-this for m-me," Raven quivered. Robin shoved the tea in her hands and forced her to drink. Several days passed and the doctor came in and out of their tower checking on everyone.  
  
In a matter of days, (they skipped celebrating News Year but they did have a fancy dinner which Beastboy and Robin made), Raven's lips turned from blue to rosy and her shivering almost went away but on several occasions she would shiver. Her vomiting ceased and her appetite improved.  
  
"Looks like you're getting better, Raven," the doctor spoke. Raven nodded. "Just a few more days probably and you'll be better. Just don't go out to fight or anything. Repeat what you did over these days and you'll be fine! Ok?"  
  
"Thank you," she coughed. The doctor gave her warm water and placed a wool blanket over her shoulders. A knock came at her door after the doctor left.  
  
"It is I, Starfire," she pronounced. Raven welcomed her in. "Are you alright?" Raven nodded. "Well, um. I would like to speak with you..."  
  
"About what?" Raven asked.  
  
"This message from Robin," Starfire held it between her index and middle finger. Raven grabbed it and read it.  
  
"When was this?" Raven asked.  
  
"I thought you knew!" Starfire protested.  
  
Raven sighed. When did it pop out of hiding? It was dated on Christmas. but.  
  
"Ok, tell me what exactly happened?" Raven clenched her fists together. Starfire stepped a few paces back just in case, with her arms in front of her.  
  
"Well, I found it on the ground in the hallway! I was curious, as we say on earth, and I have read it! I am terribly sorry! Please forgive me, Raven!!!" Starfire closed her fingers on each other and squeezed her eyes shut. Raven only eyed her suspiciously.  
  
"Is that all you did?" the hanyou quizzed. Starfire nodded her head so fast she got a whiplash. "Then you are forgiven." Raven whispered now, helping it to calm her anger.  
  
"But, I have another question!" Starfire stated.  
  
"What is the question?" Raven cross-examined.  
  
"Are you in love?"  
  
"In. love?" Raven repeated to herself.  
  
"With Robin?" Starfire's eyes watered up. Raven furiously blushed.  
  
"I'm in love with-"  
  
"So you are in love with him!!" Starfire accused, pointing another finger at her. Raven pushed it away.  
  
"Like I said, I'm in love with no one."  
  
Lies. She told those to herself all the time, trying to make herself feel better.  
  
"But-" Starfire began.  
  
"He's all yours," Raven's heart began to ache as Starfire hugged her and ran out to Robin. She heard their conversation. She never really wanted Starfire to be sad, even if people thought they weren't friends, but she just wanted her and Robin to be happy. He didn't love her anyways. Or so she thought. She never heard him say anything about love to her. He never really said anything but how he cared about her. He also cared about Starfire. He hugged her and kissed her plenty of times. You could say they were together, almost married, already in love.  
  
___________________________________  
  
Starfire ran up to Robin who was walking down the halls. She was so happy, she almost shimmered. Robin laughed.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" Robin laughed again.  
  
"Raven said she didn't love you!!! So we may be together now!" Starfire proclaimed, making him hers. She hugged him. "I love you, Robin!"  
  
"R-Raven s-said. she didn't l-love m-m-e?" Robin's heart throbbed with pain. A tear almost slid down, but he swallowed it back, leaving a heavy lump in his throat. "I mean, of course she doesn't." he said to himself.  
  
"Nope! We shall now go on a date!" Starfire kissed him on the cheek. "Where shall we go first? The movies?! Oh my! It's so exciting!"  
  
"Sure." he managed to convene out. Did Raven really think that? Or was she playing a game of love with him? Or maybe she really didn't love him. Could ha have been fooled all this time? But she did confess her love. Or was this a cruel joke?  
  
Flashback  
  
It was after Robin and Raven had their little fight.  
  
"Wanna bet?!" Cyborg leaned over Beastboy, who was now terrified. Just then, Robin walked in trying to look cheerful, red from embarrassment from what he did to Raven. He looked up at the Missile Toes and glared at them, trying to burn it down. He didn't succeed and after a few hours a door bell rang. Since there was nothing better to do than watch Beastboy get jealous at Cyborg for dancing so well.  
  
"Uhh-Hi," Robin greeted.  
  
"I lo-l-love you, then."  
  
End Flashbacks  
  
"Let's go right, now," Robin ordered Starfire. She leaped in delight and dressed up. He decided that his and Raven's past experiences together were nothing but a fantasy. 


	14. Never Okay

Chapter 14: Never Okay  
  
A/N** Ok. so last we left off with Starfire and Robin about to go on a date, right? What will Raven do when she find out? And what happens when a villain stronger than Raven comes to visit her? Hmmm. well. I guess we'll  
have to keep on reading won't we?  
  
BTW. READ JOY-CAHN'S ORRIE'S AND ASIANABABYGRL03'S STORIES! THEY'RE SHIT  
KICKERS! (meaning they're really great stories)! Yeah. anyways.. The  
villain comes in the next chapter! ^_^  
  
Thanks for the reviews too! **MUAHx5 billion!!**  
  
Starfire and Robin took a walk on the cold beach sand, water rushing to their feet. Starfire seemed all too happy about their first real date. But Robin on the other hand couldn't help himself to get out of his current state and enjoy time with the girl he loved right? He did love Starfire didn't he?  
  
"What a pretty shell! I will have to give this Raven!" Starfire cheered herself on at trying to make the world a better place. Or at least she tried to make it a better place. Robin stopped and looked at the tide slowly moving in and out, the winter breeze stung their cheeks as Robin just stuck his hands in his pockets. Starfire looked at him. "Are you. thinking about her?'  
  
"No! I don't love her, and she doesn't love me, we're just friends," Robin conjured. Starfire nodded. Robin looked at her and put an arm around her shoulders. She smiled so brightly it made the gray day look sunnier.  
  
'She didn't blush. Raven would have.' he thought solemnly. They continued their day by walking around town and stopping at shops.  
  
Raven on the other hand, was completely heart broken and thought about what she said. Why does she still deny it? There had been plenty of signs that she loved him.  
  
Flashback  
  
"C'mon Raven, it's not like you'll die at the place. Have fun for once in your lifetime," Robin tried to talk his way into her. Raven knew she was going to go once he put his hand on her shoulders.  
  
"I knew she wouldn't come. Robin, this was your idea!" Cyborg pointed an accusing finger at Robin and Robin started to grind his teeth together. They were starting a friend's quarrel over her. She felt a little under the feeling of appreciation but it still pleased her to know that Robin cared for her well being.  
  
"I only thought she should have a little more fun in her li-" Robin was cut short from Raven's hand on both their shoulders.  
  
"Enough! I will go," Raven growled. Robin standing one centimeter above her smiled at her and said, "I knew you'd go." From the twist of seeing Starfire and Robin together, her soul finally grew wings and landed in Heaven.  
  
End Flashback  
  
That was the time that they went to the amusement park. if she didn't go, would it still have been the same?  
  
Flashback  
  
"C'mon. It'll be fun," Robin ran leaving Raven to fly behind him. They waited in line for a few minutes and finally got to the front.  
  
"Excuse me, but you'll have to take off your capes, you two love birds," the ride manager said. Raven blushed and Robin stared at her uncomfortable posture. Robin ignored it as she finally folded hers up.  
  
"No! No. we're not going out, we're friends. Haven't you heard of us? We're the Teen Titans!" Robin justified their names as the ride manager stared at them as if they were crazy.  
  
End Flashback  
  
That was actually at the amusement park. She smirked at the scene in her mind.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Couldn't sleep?" A voice in the dark inquired. He was in his pajamas but still had his mask on for some odd reason. She looked at Robin. Raven shook her head.  
  
"Yes, but I was hungry. Why do you want to know?" She spat. She took out the steaming lasagna and started to eat. "What about you?" she said between mouthfuls. She drooled over the food because she hadn't eaten a decent meal in days.  
  
Robin sat at the clean kitchen counter across from Raven as well, and watched her eat. She threw a malicious look at him, telling him that she didn't want to be stared at. He turned his eyes at his fist on the table and made a beat until she threw another of those looks again. He scrunched up his face in a confused manner.  
  
"We haven't talked yet. In fact, you haven't told anybody what you think of anything," Robin tried to cut through into her inside emotions.  
  
"Everything is pointless. What makes you want to know about me?" Raven read his mind. After she whipped up the last of her lasagna into her mouth, she headed to the sink and cleaned it until it glimmered in the candle light. The counter seemed avoidable at the moment and she thought of getting out of this trap and tried to run away.  
  
"Wait! We haven't had a- err- a point-ful conversation yet and you said you would, maybe now?" Robin acted up in want that Raven felt sorry, no not sorry, but pathetic that she didn't dare let anyone get too close to her. Another disappointed sigh slipped from her mouth. She sat next to him this time. "Why'd you run away at the fair?" Robin asked. Raven let her eyes meet his. Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You don't have to tell me." Robin tried to meet her level of exceptions, but didn't.  
  
"They were pitiable. I saved them and they made fun of me," Raven decided to look at another direction and held onto her cotton pants. Her hair now messy in a half pony tail and her first button of her cotton pajamas was undone. She quickly arranged it back together.  
  
"You could've ignored them," Robin tried desperately to make her show emotions. It's been a very long time since she was able to show any.  
  
"It's not that easy, Robin. Have you ever been neglected when you were a child?" Raven importuned. Robin just shook his head. "Then you'll never know what it's like to be turned away from your own kind and mentally abused!" She looked deep into the flames of the candle light, and using her mind, she made it dance. Robin stared at it too.  
  
"But I have been mentally abused before!" Robin looked forward to Raven's defeat of the illustration of sentiment. She looked down this time to her hands clutching her pants. She took out her hair tie. 'Then I'm sorry' she told him mentally. He looked at her and softened his face. The memories of the murder of his parents came to mind and his eyes, unexpectedly, brought tears out. He banged one of fists on to the table. "Damn it," he whispered. This caused her to look up. She was sad. Not for herself, but for him. She saw the replay in his mind. Raven wanted to hug him but drew back. Instead she gave him tissue and a pat on his back. She felt a flutter in her stomach when she saw the tears in his eyes.  
  
"You have a family now, you're with us," Raven softly spoke. It wasn't like her to use those words in the same sentence but it was worth the try to get spiritually closer to him. He stopped crying and smiled.  
  
End Flashback  
  
She was always 'resenting him' but now she regretted it. If they weren't like what they were now. if she hadn't come. everything would've been better. She felt a kick in the soul every time an incident reoccurred in her head.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Cyborg needs recharging," She let out. She grabbed Robin's shirt while leaving him with his mouth hung open. She dipped the shirt into the river and left it for Cyborg. She sat with legs under her and squeezed the water into Cyborg's mouth. She lifted his head so it would go down his throat. Raven threw the shirt back at Robin and focused her empathy powers over Cyborg's wounds. They healed rapidly. "You need to be heeled." She said with her back against him.  
  
"I'm fine, you do-" Robin was cut short again.  
  
"I think you're denying it," Raven interrupted. She made him sit still. She worked from his face, to arms, stomach and legs. He felt refreshed after it.  
  
End Flashback  
  
But then. again. she did try to help him.  
  
Flashback  
  
In the morning after, she found herself wrapped in mounds of blankets. She woke, sweating from the nightmare that approached her cunningly, the nightmare of her father. She had this almost everyday of her life. but it never got so bad like this. It seemed so real, her father was ahead of her, if she could only reach him. If only. she took out her hand in sleep motion and reached forward screaming, 'TRIGON! I WILL REVENGE YOU! I WILL KILL YOU! ... ARGH!!!!!!!!' She made her night stand crash on to the ground with her anger and kept reaching up with her left hand. Someone reached her back. Robin was standing to her left, clutching her tiny hand.  
  
"What are you doing in the privacy of my room?!" Raven bolted up, pulling back her hand. She started to snarl at him but he interrupted her shows of anger.  
  
"I heard you scream.. Something about killing triangles?" Robin snickered. She knew what he was talking about.  
  
"My father. Trigon." She muttered under her breath.  
  
"Are you alright?" Robin asked. "If your dad is upsetting you, I'll help you fight him off." He looked at her kindly and she softened away the hard look she had a few seconds ago. He reached towards her hand and held it in one of his. She tried to move her hand away but too scared that once she did, she'll lose him. Forever and he might go running to Starfire. She smiled and looked at her other free hand. He picked his hand up just as Cyborg rumbled in. Their moment of a budding relationship demolished, crushed by the wave of fate.  
  
End Flashback  
  
But didn't Robin always let Starfire kiss him? It looked like he was in love with her.  
  
Flashback  
  
Raven checked the news on the television to see if the same thing was spoken. It was the top-story for weeks before and weeks to come. She knew they had to do something quick before their town turned devilishly hell for them. She flew swiftly to Robin's room, her dress puffing in the skirt section. Raven knocked but heard a little giggle. She was confused. 'Does Robin giggle?' the thoughts whirled in her mind. The door was unlocked, but she wasn't sure if she should barge in like. Instead her head went through the wall to check on Robin, but what she found wasn't at all pleasant for her. Robin and Starfire had been kissing. She went back out and was ashamed that she walked in on them like that.  
  
"No, NO!" She cried out flying into her room, a mirror shattered and the pieces crashed into the wall, piercing it with every reflected image it had to own. The mirror had represented her very emotions. Shattered. Starfire and Robin? Was it just as illusion or was it real? She saw them though, their lips touched and by the quick peeks of it, Starfire did enjoy it, she wasn't quite sure of Robin though. She wasn't about to throw herself on the bed and wallow in jealousy, self-pity and depression, instead, she wiped the tears and stood tall. She was about to survive, she knew she had to. But all she could think about was her friends' kisses. The only thing to get that out of her mind was doing her chores and taking the life of another punching bag. Alfred walked in on her, scrubbing the toilet clean for the last three hours, she made breakfast and lunch but missed the two meal times. Her body wobbled in pain from lack of nutrition from last night's dinner and the last two's meal.  
  
End Flashback  
  
He always come to try to be the knight in shining armor for her, even if she wasn't exactly the naïve, gorgeous princess.  
  
But Raven did kiss him once.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Raven," Robin called out. She felt the disk finally going to the center of her mind. Before it did completely control her she did something to make Robin remember her forever.  
  
"Robin- I love," But instead of saying it, she thrust herself in his arms and kissed him on the lips. He held her and all the same, he kissed her back. The last of the real Raven blushed.  
  
End Flashback  
  
'I. love you..' Raven thought, tears, dripping rapidly down her cheeks. With her legs tucked under her, she squeezed her fists, with her pajama pants clenched in between. Little ghastly hiccups echoed from her throat. She grew tired of thinking about Robin.  
  
"Hey! Yo, Raven!? You in there?" Beastboy asked. Beastboy was like her older brother, always taking care of her when she was sick.  
  
"What do you want?" she harshly said. Beastboy came in and watched her lay in bed, trying to fend off pneumonia.  
  
"You all right? Me and Cy heard you cry," Beastboy rhymed. Cyborg walked in and sat on her bed. Beastboy followed suit.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
Lies. 


	15. Dead

Chapter 15: Dead  
  
A/n** In case you didn't know, Joy-cha, Orrie and asianbabygrl2003 are my in real life best friends!! So yeah... but there stories do rock my world.:  
D  
  
After a walk on the beach, a picnic in the park, 'cuddling' in the movies theatre, Robin and Starfire decided to go home. Before they headed on the ferry boat that stopped by their island, (if requested), Robin and Starfire took a trip to the hospital to renew Raven's prescription drugs.  
  
Outside the hospital a teen boy stood terrorizing the people that he would kill them if they don't tell him where Raven was.  
  
"Raven? Why is he looking for Raven?" Starfire asked. Robin dropped his coffee. The black liquid had spread across cement. The teen looked up at him.  
  
"You there! Robin! Aren't you? From the Teen Titans?" he demanded. He pointed a finger at them, separating them from the rest. He had a grey cape on, something close to Raven's, but with black denim pants on, it was ragged, not frayed at the end. It was baggy but clung loosely to his legs with a rope, substituting a belt. His shirt was a darker shade of grey, and folded up below the elbow. He had black denim gloves on as well but he was barefooted, revealing Cyborg's feet size. He was a couple inches shorter than Robin though.  
  
"Uhh.. Yes?" Starfire bemused with herself. Robin thought for awhile. 'Why is he. after Raven?'  
  
"Then show me to her!" he demanded again. Starfire stood her ground.  
  
"Why must you go after Raven?" she politely asked.  
  
"I must finish what I started!"  
  
"Finish what?" Starfire's curiosity pushed the limit of his patience.  
  
"To kill!" He answered.  
  
"To kill whom?" Starfire really did want to know and she was bugging the crap out of him right now.  
  
"TO KILL RAVEN!!!" he flew off, when a patient of the hospital pointed at the T Tower. Starfire jumped and grabbed him, squishing his face to the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry, I do not wish to hurt you, but you are after my dear friend!" Starfire fought him as Robin took off to the T Tower. He rode the emergency boat at the dock of the city and got there in three minutes.  
  
He raced up the stairs but looked out the window. The guy who was looking for Raven flew into the window and shattered glass everywhere. He spotted Robin almost entering Raven's room but punched him and blasted the door down himself. Starfire flew in and helped Robin up, after she recovered after a few minutes from the blast she received from the teen boy. Beastboy tried fighting him but ended up against the wall, then Cyborg smashed Beastboy, they were both now unconscious.  
  
Robin pushed Starfire aside and ran into the room. The guy was holding Raven against his chest and smelled her hair.  
  
"Beautiful. as usual," he smiled. "You left me. for this place? Earth is such a pitiful place. didn't you realize that before?" She tried pushing him away with her mind but didn't succeed.  
  
"I went to get help from supreme beings to kill my father," she said to him. He clicked his tongue, thinking.  
  
"Leaving your male spouse is illeg-" he began.  
  
"Whoa!? Wait... spouse?!" Robin asked.  
  
"He forced me to marry him, or I'll be killed," she whispered at him. A hollow look set up in her eyes.  
  
"And he'll be killed too. Remember, Raven? I have the power to read minds, travel time, empathy, telekinesis and hold the strength to take away powers and life if desired!" he laughed.  
  
"Please, Jerikai. Don't kill anyone." Raven pleaded. Not wanting Robin to get hurt.  
  
"TOO LATE!" Jerikai removed the hood from his head, revealing a young and handsome face. His eyes were light brown, his hair was black and he had a muscular neck. His black hair was flat down and reached under his eyes. He bound Raven's arms and legs together, gently placing her onto the bed. "Since you're the love Raven loves very much-"  
  
"She doesn't love me! She even said it!" Robin screamed.  
  
"Oh! Then you are the one who loves Raven aren't you? Don't want to see get hurt, huh? Don't want to see if she ends up with anybody but you, right?" Jerikai laughed and held a hand at his forehead, gripping it. Robin only let tears slide down. He read his mind clean. Robin couldn't deny it, so he cried. Jerikai, being the strongest one there, lifting Robin off the ground by grabbing his forehead only.  
  
Robin thought for a few more seconds as a glowing black light escaped the premises of Jerikai's fingers, almost getting ready to kill Robin. He thought about all the times he and Raven shared together. the times were he couldn't get the three simple words, 'I love you,' out of his mouth.  
  
Flashback  
  
"How much do you care about her?" Cyborg asked, tilting his head upwards while looking down at Robin. Robin glanced at his face then looked to his right at the cars stopping to the side for police to drive and run by, searching for the loose prisoners. He was sitting at the edge with his feet dangling high above the water. Cyborg put his hand on Robin's shoulders, waiting for an answer. He didn't see them kiss for he was unconscious from the blows to his body.  
  
"Who? Starfire? I guess you could-" Robin started a lie.  
  
"No, you know who I mean. Raven!" Cyborg impeded, scrunching up his face. Robin glanced up again, but then down to his feet.  
  
"Raven." Robin whispered in the cold December air. He smiled at the sound of her name. He remembered, it had been two days after Halloween that they went to the amusement park, and hours later they had been attacked. It was now two weeks before Christmas and it already started to snow. "She's just a friend, nothing more."  
  
"I know you're lying," Cyborg mumbled and sat next to him. "C'mon, you can tell me, anything. ANYTHING." Cyborg smiled at him.  
  
"Ok, but you promise not to tell anyone, not even Beastboy," Robin told. Cyborg reassured him with a 'yeah, yeah' and was waiting for the answer to fly out of his mouth. "Raven- I think she's- my friend!" Robin grinned. Cyborg was pretty annoyed.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Denial. why does he deny his love for Raven? Or maybe he was being naïve because he was still too young to think about love.  
  
Flashback  
  
"The bleeding stopped, she's going to live, Doctor Jenkins!" he rejoiced. She thanked him. Robin smiled through all the tears. He tried to run in the recovery room that Raven was put in but was stopped by Doctor Jenkins.  
  
"You can't rush into this-" she tried stopping him.  
  
"Please, let me stay by her side! Just let me! Please! I'm begging you," Robin cried out in despair. She cocked her head and smiled at true love and agreed. He asked her to tell the others to just go home and that he'll be back in the morning. She also agreed on that.  
  
After she left, he locked the door and sat next to Raven. She had her hand sticking out and with a sudden urge he entwined his fingers with hers.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, falling asleep on the edge of her bed with their hands still holding each others' hand.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Why couldn't he tell her he loved her when she was conscious?!  
  
Flashback  
  
"You should spend time with Starfire; she's the one who likes you," she whispered in his ear, getting up walking to the door. Robin sprung up as well and stopped Raven in her tracks. She was halfway to the door when Robin stuck his hand out placing it on Raven's wrist.  
  
"I don't like Starfire in that way, I only like her as a friend," Robin described. Raven stiffened her body at the new fact she just received. She lowered her head to the ground.  
  
"You two kissed! Twice!" Raven shouted in truth. The boy wonder let go of her wrist and they stood facing each other, the girl's hand, clenched, the boy's head, looking down in defeat.  
  
"It didn't mean that much to me," Robin broke the silence.  
  
"But it did mean something to you," Raven told.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Well it would be better if it were from you!" he shouted.  
  
Battle Commence.  
  
"She likes you though! Don't hurt her!"  
  
Defeat.  
  
"I know that." Robin trailed off. He grabbed her wrists again and held tightly but not so tight that it burned her.  
  
"I'm dark," Raven tried to get him away from her before he would hurt her.  
  
"I like insane evil girls," Robin stepped closer.  
  
Rooted Feet.  
  
"You don't understand me," Raven let out.  
  
"Then let me try."  
  
Another step.  
  
"But Starfire likes you a lot," Raven didn't know what else to say, she turned her head away from his face.  
  
"ARGH! I KNOW YOU LOVE ME THOUGH! I CAN SEE IT IN YOUR EYES! Geez! Do you think I'm blind!? You love me, Starfire only likes me! There's nothing wrong with you loving me! Tell me you love me. Give the whole routine a break already! I've known for weeks now and you still deny it!" Robin roared at her. Raven stood still, emotionless. "Just admit, ok!?" Robin was now grappling with her wrist. She wrenched it away and stared him in the eye. Being offended by what he just said, she raised her right arm and brought it down to his face, slapping him. He was now the one ashamed, he didn't mean for it to happen like this. He wanted to tell her he loved her while she was awake. She started to fly off as he kneeled and punched the ground, being angry with himself.  
  
End Flashback  
  
How could he have been so insensible to her?  
  
Flashback  
  
"Wait, Raven! I was wondering. Erm- do you- er- wanna dance with- me?" Robin was hot from embarrassment and he was scratching the back of his neck with his hands and rubbed his feet together.  
  
"Sure, I suppose," Raven smiled. She blushed as he put his hands on her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck. The ever lasting tune carried out its duty to bring the two teen titans together. A few other songs played by Fate had organized Raven's head to lie on Robin's shoulders. As hours passed, and sunset crept up, Raven and Robin sat at the edge of the Tower's roof, looking out to the east. Some people left, others stayed and spent the night. The whole C.D. was repeated but the two on the roof didn't mind.  
  
End Flashback  
  
That was hint of their love for each other. Too bad it was only a hint.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Ay," Raven grumbled. Her headache was slightly less pounding than the last, and she looked at the glass of warm tea next to her bed, she picked it up and drank. Jasmine, one of her favorites. While she was enjoying this hot beverage, a knock came at her door. "Leave me alone!" she replied coldly, thinking it was Starfire. She didn't want any excited cheers about Christmas so soon. Against her wish, the door slid open and there stood Robin with another hot bowl of soup, this time it was chicken noodle soup.  
  
"You need to eat this," Robin told, putting it on her nightstand. She shook her head.  
  
"I'm fine," Raven lied, "I've healed." Robin, knowing she was being too modest, put a hand to her forehead. Raven blushed, sending heat to spread around her body.  
  
"You're burning," Robin said. She only looked away, as if she never heard his statement.  
  
"I don't need anything, I'm fine!" Raven shouted at him. He stepped a few paces backwards and watched her stand up. Her knees turned to water and she collapsed, but her fall stopped as strong arms held tight to her. He lifted her up and hugged her. Her face buried in his muscular chest, her arms were to the side but lifted up and grazed his elbows. His nose was digging deep into her soft hair, arms around the small of her back.  
  
"Do you know what would happen to me if- if you ever got hurt? Do you know how I'd feel?" He blurted out loud to her. She looked up at him, softening her hard, dark eyes. It seemed forever they looked at each other that way. She pushed him and walked away.  
  
End Flashback  
  
He did care for her though. He really did want her to be the one to catch him when he falls.  
  
Flashback  
  
Hours later, Raven awoke, shivering. Robin carried her to his room since her room was always cold. He turned up the temperature and threw the extra blankets on her. He boiled hot tea and left it by her bedside, always pouring it out and refilling it every time the cup became cold.  
  
"You-You don't. ha-have to d-do-ddo thi-th-this for m-me," Raven quivered. Robin shoved the tea in her hands and forced her to drink. Several days passed and the doctor came in and out of their tower checking on everyone.  
  
End Flashback  
  
He cared for her so much that he wanted to take care of her personally. He felt a sting in his brain but he stopped as he saw Raven collapsing on top of him. Jerikai grinned at them.  
  
"And I was just about to take your life away," he laughed again. It made Raven shiver.  
  
"He won't be murdered by you!" Starfire cried, punching him, but he didn't feel a thing. He punched Starfire in the neck, making her unconscious like the other two. Beastboy and Cyborg woke up though, but was too worn out to fight him again. They watched, paralyzed by what was going on.  
  
"Let's try this again," Jerikai said, pronouncing Robin's death. He grabbed Robin's forehead and once again was knocked down by Raven. "Ugh. I thought I restrained you."  
  
"Well, I released myself!" Raven bit. He repeated the procedure with Robin's forehead, because Robin was only half-alive right now. Raven knocked him over one last time and continued, "I'll take his place!"  
  
"No! Don't! Robin bawled.  
  
"Ok." Jerikai grinned. He grabbed Raven's slender neck and a light shone throughout the room. Cyborg and Beastboy cried. Robin watched, horrified and guilty as Raven's limp body fell next to his. No breathe escaped her lips, no heartbeat pounded in her chest. Jerikai only laughed.  
  
Raven was dead. 


	16. Truths and Lies

Chapter 16: Truths and Lies  
  
Jerikai laughed at them while Cyborg and Beastboy tried to move. Cyborg's body stiffened as Beastboy sniffled out tears. Robin's eyes were drowning in tears. He neither sobbed nor whimpered, he only watched as Jerikai stepped on her neck. As if his life came rushing back to him, he stole Raven's body from his foot and hugged it. Tears drenched her shoulders as her head and limps only wobbled from the shaking.  
  
"Robin looked at her, she's dead. You can only tell by her motionless face!" Jerikai sneered. Those words cut open his insides. He tried to ignore it as best as he could and hugged Raven tighter. He laughed one more time and kicked Robin in the face. "Do you know why she married me? She loved me! And she was also forced. It's sad to say, I love her too, but she's a bitch who deserves to die. and look! She already did! Isn't that splendid? I guess I full-filled my mission to kill her. I mean, she ran away from me, three years ago, and just months before, Slade ordered me to kill Raven." His icy breathe brushed Robin's ear as Jerikai leaned down. He chuckled evilly at them and kicked Robin in the head, bidding him good bye. Jerikai flew off.  
  
Robin stared at Raven, face to face. Blood was running down his face, red was all he could see. Before passing out for a whole week, he indolently lifted his hand so that he could hold her hands. His shut eyes and his body began to as well.  
  
After that whole entire week, Robin woke up lazily. He looked around him, seeing Raven in a glass container.  
  
"Robin. help me." he heard her again. It sounded so much like Raven, but it couldn't be, she was dead. He was having doubts. He got up and walked over to her and put a hand on top, shadowing her face. He then folded his arms on the shield and buried his face into the crook of his elbows. Sobbing loudly, Cyborg and Beastboy walked in. A few seconds later, Starfire walked in and hugged Robin.  
  
"We have to bury her soon, or she'll be rotting, and this whole place will sti-" Beastboy almost darkened the mood by trying to lift spirits. Cyborg elbowed him in the stomach. Beastboy growled at him and just patter Robin's back. Starfire clung to him like a wet t-shirt. Robin nodded and pushed them all away, heading into her room. He sat at the edge of her bed and laid down, sniffing the fresh smell of her shampoo hair. He took off his boots and gloves and crawled under her blankets. He felt something hard thrown into the pillow case and removed a diary, he sat up and hesitated to open it.  
  
'This is Raven's after all. and she'll never be coming back to life,' he shook his head in reconsidering but placed his hand on it again and opened it to the latest diary entry.  
  
January 13  
  
Everything has gone wrong. I never knew that Starfire would know about my feelings. I said I didn't care about him. In truth, I do. I really do.  
  
I don't want him to think I hate him. I wanted Robin to know that I love him.  
  
That was where it ended. 'This was today!' he thought. How couldn't he have known that her feelings weren't jokes? How couldn't he have known? He placed the diaries under the pillow and had the exact same corner sticking out. He got up and looked through her closet. There were two dresses. One he already saw. the white one which was gorgeous when only she put it on. He touched the dress. Robin glided his fingers over the smooth polyester fabric. He shivered at the memory of when she walked down the stairs when she came home after he yelled at her. There were glitters cluttered on the bottom. Scattering one by one as it edged its way up. It slowly vanished as it reached the top of the white dress. He had just noticed this feature and smiled. This is the first dress he had ever seen Raven wore. He picked up the second dress and laid it out on the bed, examining each and every detail.  
  
It was a crimson dress, matching the jewel on her forehead. Like the other one, it had glitter, but this one was strapless. The glitter started across the top this time. The dress had a slanted slit, starting from the left. It folded in each time it slid its way up. He kneeled on the ground; his body crouched before the bed as his arms folded underneath his head. More tears came forth, making him call Raven's name quietly.  
  
"Raven." he repeated. Each sorrow filled tear landed on the ground with ever step towards her vanity. He looked at her desk where the mirror was. He stared long enough to see something flash a couple of times. It looked like a suffering girl. He couldn't make out her face. She had short dark hair and a red jewel. "Raven!" He could see her hand reaching out, calling his name in a whisper.  
  
"Help me... Robin." She tried screaming but nothing more than a mist of her voice was allowed. She stopped. Robin clutched the handle of the mirror and threw it on the bed, angry at letting his mind play tricks on him.  
  
But he looked around again, this was Raven's room. His heart fluttered at the essence of incense that Raven always burned up. He remembered that one week when Raven set hundreds of it in her room because Beastboy's tofu blew up everywhere in the kitchen and living room making the whole tower smell like burned plants. Every time he walked past Raven's room that week, he'd sniff the air. It smelled like lavender. Such a sweet scent for a sweet girl.  
  
He looked around again. Everything was in place and that was how it should be. Robin crept onto the bed and closed his eyes. Once again, he absorbed his surroundings, Raven's surroundings. Everything was in place and that was how it should be.  
  
For a week and a half, Robin slept only in Raven's room. He never came out of it. He never spoke to the Teen Titans. He never even thought about them. All he could think about was Raven.  
  
Cyborg couldn't take it anymore. Depressed as they all were, Robin had taken the full weight. No matter how many times they pleaded him to come out and eat, he wouldn't say a word. Cyborg, Starfire and Beastboy all tried to persuade him to come out by leaving trays of food outside his door but he wouldn't walk out or even talk. They tried blasting the door off, but Raven enchanted it by putting an endurance spell so it couldn't get knocked down or opened by force or scratched for that matter.  
  
As Cyborg walked up to the door and pounded it, Robin still wouldn't come out. Cyborg gritted his teeth.  
  
"ALRIGHT! IF YOU DON'T COME OUT RIGHT NOW I'LL BURN ALL OF RAVEN'S-"  
  
"'Crap and throw them away'," Robin finished. He was out of the door. He was clean, his breathe was minty and he was basically hygiene efficient. He had bags under his eye mask. He wiped the last tear away and held an empty bow. Cyborg followed him as Robin collected everything that Raven had owned. The book that she never finished was lying on the table with a book marker in it. He read the cover and put it in the box. That was the last the Raven owned outside of her room so he headed back there but Cyborg walked into her room too.  
  
"Brings back memories," as he was about to touch the handle of her mirror. Robin slapped his hand away.  
  
"Everything should remain the way it should be," he growled. He lit more lavender candles and tried to force Cyborg out of the room.  
  
"Nuh-uh, you're coming with me. You gotta eat!" Cyborg protested. Cyborg picked Robin up and squeezed him so that Robin wouldn't slip through. The half robot sat him the chair and held on to him. "Ok Starfire! Start feeding him. this is going to take a while."  
  
Starfire plunged down with a bowl of cereal and milk and stuffed it in his mouth, making him swallow.  
  
"You're up Beastboy!" Cyborg yelled. Beastboy who was sitting across the table with a plate full of sandwiches stuffed them down his mouth. And for the last tid-bit they shoved a bowl of rice, veggies and pot-roast and loaves of bread down his throat.  
  
"I think you made me full enough to last the rest of my lifetime," Robin groaned. Starfire clapped her hands.  
  
"You have eaten! And you have spoken to us! Oh Robin!" Starfire cheerfully hugged Robin. Robin hugged her back. "We will create amends now, and we will always be together, okay?" Robin kept silent, his eyes cast down. "Ok! It is settled! We are now officially, as they say in earth ways, boyfriend and girlfriend!" She snuggled closer and kissed him on the forehead.  
  
"I don-" Robin began. But he stopped there. Starfire only sat next to him discussing her depression caused by his depression and was also caused by Raven's death.  
  
"I wish not to see you harmed by the deaths of others," Starfire began. Robin nodded. "It's just that you spent all that time in Raven's room that I am beginning to think that you in love with her, not me, Robin. Robin?" Starfire waved a hand in front of him. Robin shook his head.  
  
"Well, I'm not in love. she was my- c-closest- fr-friend..." he trailed off in silence.  
  
Why did he always lie? And why did he have to lie about Raven?  
  
"Oh. then we shall be happy together?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Robin froze and thought a while more. How come he lied too much? He didn't want to be a liar. But he didn't want Starfire to get hurt. Raven was his first and only. No one could replace her.  
  
"Raven," he whispered, looking down at his lap. Starfire looked up.  
  
"Have you said something?" Starfire asked him. He shook his head and clenched his fist together in a tight ball like he always did when he was angry. "Oh, alright then. We shall. all be sad for Raven's death. I shall. quietly go make sad pudding for us to share as one." Before she reached the kitchen Robin said something.  
  
"People come, people go. it's-all-t-the same." he quoted from when Cyborg was dismissed.  
  
"Huh?" Starfire said. It was a murmur, but she'd still like to hear what he said.  
  
"That was what Raven said." he silently cried. Starfire still looked at him. "Starfire, I don't-" He stopped; he didn't want to say anything else to upset anyone.  
  
"Is there something you wish to say to me?" Starfire smiled in a gloomy way. He shook his head again.  
  
'Starfire, I don't love you. I don't even like you .' Robin thought bitterly.  
  
'Robin.?' That voice belonged to Raven's voice. Robin shot his head up.  
  
'It has to be her!'' Robin jumped up and ran, making the chair fall and the objects on the table clatter.  
  
As he was running to the medical center of the tower he wished that Raven would be waiting for him. He finally reached the entrance.  
  
Search.  
  
He looked in the glass coffin.  
  
Examination.  
  
She was still in there. She was still dead.  
  
Dreams vanished.  
  
Robin slumped against it and slid down so that he crouched. Everything about the appearances of Raven had only been illusions. He thought he saw her when he was in her room but she disappeared the moment he blinked. There had also been several different cases when he thought she was reading her horror books on the couch like when she was living.  
  
"Why isn't she alive!? Why!" Robin took a fist and beat it against the floor. He pushed his palm against his eyes, trying to reduce the tears from falling out.  
  
There was a knock at the door. Robin answered it.  
  
"Good afternoon my dear friend." Starfire looked longingly at Raven's coffin and put a scoop of her pudding in Robin's mouth. That reminded him when he shoved sickness pudding down Raven's throat when she was sick. He held out two hands, in reach of the bowl. Starfire walked out and he followed, hands outstretched. She turned to him and slipped the bowl into it. He held onto it and looked at it. Tears crawled down his face in shots of anger, but he ate the pudding anyways.  
  
Beastboy and Cyborg walked into the room where Raven was laid out. Beastboy knocked on the glass. Cyborg elbowed him, making Beastboy noticed that his latest gesture towards Raven was pretty . rude.  
  
"Hey there. You okay?" Beastboy smiled. He squished his nose against the covering. Cyborg pulled him back up by grabbing his shoulders.  
  
"Look Raven. we know it's kind of late, but." Cyborg began. Beastboy bit his lip.  
  
"We wanted to tell you-"  
  
"We wanted to tell you that-" Beastboy repeated.  
  
"Hey! I was gonna say it!"  
  
"Not on your shiny techno ass, Tin-man," Beastboy joked. Cyborg punched him on the head and Beastboy glared, "Why does everyone like to hurt me?"  
  
"Cause you got a big mouth, fur-boy," Cyborg injected. "Besides, we can sure use money selling your leathery hide around town." It was Cyborg's turn to joke. Beastboy glared again. "Okay, okay, I was just playing. Don't take it serious." Beastboy ignored him.  
  
"Well, like I was saying-" Cyborg was cut off once again. He was getting really annoyed.  
  
"Robin's in love with you." Beastboy blurted out to her deceased body. Cyborg knocked him on the head again. Another glower reappeared on the shape-shifting boy's face.  
  
"Yeah, he's been in love with you for the longest time," Cyborg added.  
  
"And we know you love him too, and we aren't talking about crushes. Me and Cy, here, think that you should at least get together. C'mon, we knew you guys 'loved' each other for months now! You guys should propose!" Beastboy yelled. Cyborg had to keep a hand over Beastboy's mouth so no one could hear them from the outside walls.  
  
"You want them to hear?!" Cyborg angrily whispered to Beastboy. He shook his head. "Good, then shut-up!"  
  
"Ok, geez, fine," he implied.  
  
"Well, ain't it cute? You two in love with each other, not admitting it. It's like Romeo and Juliet, except different," Cyborg informed. Beastboy looked at him oddly.  
  
"Uhh. way different, dude," he said.  
  
"That don't matter, they're still cute together, short little teenagers. Should be in a movie," Cyborg added.  
  
"Too bad Robin doesn't know Raven loves him though."  
  
"Yeah. Too bad."  
  
The two teens looked at her coffin one last time before walking out the door.  
  
"It's too bad you're. not living," Beastboy supplemented. Cyborg nodded his head.  
  
"Cause if you were, Robin wouldn't cry every night."  
  
"And we wouldn't miss you so much."  
  
"At least you two are still in love." They both said at the same time.  
  
'They're still in love.' Thoughts whirled in their minds. 'They're still in love.' 


	17. Eyes of Despair

Chapter 17: Eyes of Despair  
  
A/n** Someone put that I had too many flashbacks for my story? Yeah. for 14 and 15, it's supposed to be that way since it's like, they're remembering  
what happened before the bad things happened. Yeah, like Raven's death, Starfire's and Robin's get together, you know? Lol... yeah. :D Well, from  
here on end, I don't plan to put too many flashbacks.  
  
And thank God** I had printed out 17 and 18 before my disk broke down. I got this back from friend, Joy-chan, who reads it before I publicize it.  
  
A/N** oh yeah. if you have any comments on my stories you can IM me on  
greYSnoWBall :D  
  
Jerikai watched Starfire and Robin together later that night. Starfire kept whirling her fingers around on the table as Robin sat there, depressed. He was by the window but cloaked in black to match the nighttime sky. Rain beat down upon his shoulders, making another help of disguise. He grimaced at the site of Robin.  
  
"You. How can you just dump her like that, even if she's dead? I killed her to make you suffer! Did you not think that I would suffer as well!? I love her, fool!" Jerikai scowled. He flew down to the chamber Raven was locked up in. He placed a hand on the window. "If Slade... didn't make me kill you, then you would've been with me on Azarath, my wife. He said he would destroy our planet if I didn't kill you. that Bastard! Erg. Why did you leave me for this place? Earth is such filth. How can you like it? Is it because of that Robin man?" Jerikai sighed. "You're still my wife, believe it or not, you are. I love you."  
  
He opened a portal to go inside and teleported himself to her death domain. With a few punch-ins of the key, the glass container unlocked and let out mist and a build up pressure of air. After it was all cleared away, he touched Raven's face. She was cold.  
  
"You'll probably rot soon" he whispered. He held her close to his chest, her cape falling behind her. He snuggled against her. A voice slowly whispered in his head.  
  
"Jerikai."  
  
"Who's here?! Where?" he jumped. He looked around.  
  
"It's me Slade," his icy voice slithered.  
  
"How'd you get here?" He looked around, trying to find him.  
  
"Telekinesis, you fool. Kill her body, now! Kill her now!" Slade ordered.  
  
"I. can't." Jerikai released his anger. "How can you ask me to kill her if she's already a corpse?!"  
  
"To make sure she's dead!" his voice echoed in Jerikai's mind.  
  
"I can't!" he screamed out.  
  
Robin heard a quiet screech traveling through the halls from the fourth floor. Somewhere near the medical center. 'Raven!' he thought.  
  
"RAVEN!" he shouted out loud. Starfire stood up with him and followed him to the medical room where they found Jerikai holding Raven's body. "Jerikai!? Let go of Raven! Now!"  
  
"Get out! Get out of my head!" Jerikai now loosened his grip on Raven with one hand and placed it over his ear. "I won't destroy her body!"  
  
"Oh!" Starfire gasped. Robin was confused. Wasn't Jerikai out to kill Raven? And now he didn't want to hurt her body?  
  
Robin looked to his right a Beastboy and Cyborg entered.  
  
'Erg... I have to protect her this time!' Robin thought. It angered him that he couldn't do anything to save her from death the other time.  
  
"Stop! Just let go of her and leave!" Robin ran towards Jerikai and punched him in the stomach. Jerikai leaned over and almost dropped Raven. Robin dropped down and caught her, folding her legs over the crevices of his elbows and her head fell back wards as her arms swung. His arms were supporting her weight under her upper back. He stood up and looked down at the serene body. He placed it in the coffin and turned back to Jerikai.  
  
"I have to! Azarath . would . BE DESTROYED!" he scowled. "I have . to . my family!"  
  
"Oh no you ain't!" Cyborg yelled out.  
  
"Don't even think about touching her!" Beastboy implied. He turned into an eagle and started to claw at Jerikai's protecting arm. While Jerikai tried pushing him away, Cyborg blasted him with the cannon. The spouse of Raven only had a few burnt skin peeling off and little holes in his clothes. He stood up from his fall and looked at them.  
  
"I surrender," he looked at them one by one. They were too shocked to do anything. He slowly walked over to Raven and kissed her. Robin growled out of jealousy and moved up to stop him, but Jerikai already teleported out. He tried to stick his hand out to where Jerikai was but he hadn't felt a single solid, invisible object. He sighed and walked over to Raven. He assorted her body to the correct position and locked the glass container.  
  
Robin wanted to make sure that he was the last one to touch her before they buried her body.  
  
The next day, the rain had overcome the weather and let itself pour endlessly. Robin stayed by the corpse and watched her through the night. He inspected her face. Her serene features showed closed eye-lids, destroyed reams hidden behind them, soft lips that wanted to be kissed by a certain someone, a nose waiting to smell the scent of someone special and her ears waiting to hear the words 'I love you.' Her cheeks were a rosy complexion. Raven's hair flared out on the satin pillow under her head. Her right hand was over her heart, waiting for a beat to pound in her chest.  
  
Robin held his hand above her hand, wishing to hold it. His thoughts on Raven were disturbed as Cyborg entered the room.  
  
"We have to bury her now." Cyborg announced. "The priest is going to be here in a few minutes and we have to prepare her on the island."  
  
"I'll do it." Robin volunteered alone.  
  
"Man! Your puny white ass can't even lift her up. You need someone strong!" Cyborg protested. Robin just stared at Raven's face. He sighed. "Ok, Ok... just tell me when you need help, alright?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Robin assured. Cyborg shrugged and left the room, leaving the door open. The boy wonder took a hold of a handle at the head of the coffin and dragged it to the door.  
  
With little struggle, Robin had it centered 2 yards away from the front doors of the tower. As the rain soaked into his skin, he watched the rain water slide down from the round top of Raven's glass coffin.  
  
20 minutes later the Priest arrived with a suitcase, they found Robin still staring at Raven. His suit was dirty from the mud while her was digging a hold fit for the coffin. In his arms was a wooden stick. Walking over to the head of the burial site, he plunged it into the soft earth at the head of the square hole.  
  
Robin then walked inside of the tower and walked out with very dark roses.  
  
"Yo! Aren't those rare!? It's really hard finding them, huh?" Beastboy quizzed. Robin kept silent. Beastboy only watched. Cyborg stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulders.  
  
"Come Robin, we must help the priest bless Raven." Starfire took Robin away from Cyborg's grip and held his hand. He just relaxed his hand as her hand wrapped around his. Robin felt as if he were betraying Raven and jerked his hand away. Starfire held again and this time he didn't do anything.  
  
As the priest kept saying his vows, Jerikai watched in despair. He wanted to be right next to Raven, being there when she was blessed. He watched them hold out their hands to bless her to Heaven and watched them bow their heads.  
  
"You have to kill them now!" Slade ordered. He slithered besides him in vapors. From then on he turned into a physical being, standing on the roof top with him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You want to know everything? Curious aren't you? There is one thing you should know then, Raven doesn't love you anymore," Slade injected into his mind. Jerikai only built up anger.  
  
"I don't care! Why did you even make me kill her?!"  
  
"Hasty, aren't you?" If you kill them, I'll see what I can do to made Raven come back to life again."  
  
"Even if she's alive again, she'll try to return to the arms of him," Jerikai added, pointing down to Robin. "I can find a way to make sure she'll go back to you," Slade smiled. Jerikai clenched his fists and closed his eyes.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Kill them now!"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"And why not?" Slade asked.  
  
"Because they're Raven's friends. If she will be brought back to life, she'd hate me. She'll hate me and she'll curse the day I was born!" Jerikai wept out loud.  
  
Down below thy heard someone shout.  
  
"Who could ruin this sad day?" Starfire gasped.  
  
"Robin, doesn't that guy rem-" Beastboy started.  
  
"Jerikai!" Robin growled. "And. that's Slade? How did he get out of prison?" Even if he was depressed from Raven's death, he still wanted revenge on Slade. With that, Starfire grabbed his hand and she carried him to the top of the roof.  
  
"We must preserve the peace of Raven's body! Let us fight together as one, Robin!" Starfire cheered as Robin let go and landed on the roof. He was confronting the real Slade. Starfire tried to fight Jerikai again, but he didn't do anything.  
  
"Arg! Help me fight the Teen Titans, fool!" Slade yelled at the telekinetic boy.  
  
"If you killed Raven, then why won't you fight us?" Starfire asked while standing there, watching Jerikai look at the rain that was falling into his eyes.  
  
"I don't want to fight," Jerikai answered.  
  
"What?! I hired you to kill Raven! Now kill the other ones!"  
  
"Huh!? Why did you want to kill Raven?" Robin asked with trying to dodge all punches and kicks. "First you wanted to control her!"  
  
"I wanted her to be on my team, Robin, but her power was too strong to handle. So then I wanted her dead. She was getting in the way of me defeating you!" Slade replied aggressively. He punched Robin in the face and ran inside the tower.  
  
"Where.? ARG!" Robin ran inside after him. The others followed too.  
  
They found him in Raven's room, clutching a mirror.  
  
"Dude, that's." Beastboy pointed at it, reminding Cyborg.  
  
"Sorry man, but we can't let you go around ordering people to kill and break Raven's super freaky mirror, right Beastboy?" Cyborg said powering up his laser canon.  
  
"You are so right! Let's go!"  
  
"What about you, depressed one?" Cyborg asked. Robin nodded and put on a serious face.  
  
"Ready for the sonic? I got the boom," Robin smiled. Cyborg was confused but agreed.  
  
Robin grabbed three of his disks as Cyborg powered up to the max.  
  
"Wait! If you do that, he'll reflect it on us and destroy Raven's mirror!" Jerikai foretold. He used his telekinesis and took a hold of Raven's mirror. "It's my turn to show Raven that I still love her!"  
  
Cyborg's and Beastboy's eyebrows went up.  
  
"Loved."  
  
"Her?" Beastboy finished Cyborg's statement. They looked at each other and stuck out their tongues in disgust.  
  
"That's right, you weren't awake when he was talking to us," Robin recalled.  
  
"Uh. right," Cyborg said. They watched as Slade battled Jerikai. N several occasions, Robin tried to help but Jerikai warded him off.  
  
"Don't worry! I got this one!" Jerikai told. He gave a couple of blasts from his hand and shot Slade down. Slade was paralyzed for a few minutes as Jerikai took him and broke through Raven's window to the middle of the river.  
  
"Evacuate the people on the bridge now! Teen Titans, go!" Robin ordered. In 20 minutes they had everyone off the bridge and kept people from wandering onto there.  
  
While the priest prayed that everything will go well on the fight, the rain still kept on. He ventured inside and watched the fight.  
  
"You haven't defeated me yet!" Slade grinned as Jerikai held Slade by the wrist, willing to drop him anytime. Jerikai looked confused.  
  
'Friend of Raven, I'll be gone forever. Just give Raven a proper funeral. Send my love to her,' Jerikai used his telepathy to talk to Robin. Robin's heart twinge at Jerikai's love for Raven. He saw Starfire standing on the bridge, watching the fight.  
  
"Gone forever?" Robin asked himself. A large glowing orb enveloped Jerikai's body. Just then, a large transparent sphere of black over shadowed them all. Everything grew quiet as it enlarged. Seconds later, with a high whistle it all came back to the source: Jerikai.  
  
"He going to commit suicide?!" Robin shouted to them all, half asking-half telling.  
  
"Looks like it!" Cyborg notified. "It's probably to kill Slade!"  
  
"This is not good!" Beastboy interjected slamming a palm to his forehead. Starfire nodded as they all approached the middle of the bridge, all of them staring up ahead. They all covered their faces as a bright explosion made the river tide up and flooded the edge of the city. Every corner was wet. On the bridge, Robin was holding onto Starfire from being swept into the river. Cyborg held onto the wires as Beastboy flew up.  
  
When the water cleared, save for the little flood that reached their knees, Robin sputtered some river water out as Starfire coughed.  
  
"Raven! Her coffin might've been washed down!" Robin cried out, reaching towards the Tower.  
  
"I shall help you get over there!" Starfire proclaimed, shutting her eyes.  
  
As he jumped down, he sighed in relief. Raven's coffin and body were glued to the exact spot, but her burial hole was filled with water.  
  
"I'll get that," Beastboy said jumping after he released Cyborg by his shoulders. He turned into an elephant and sucked the water out. After that, the priest came out, drying himself with paper towels.  
  
"Let's us proceed on this dreadful night," the priest fixed his glasses and opened the book. He placed a hand on her coffin and said a few prayers to bless her to heaven once more. "Please continue the funeral by each throwing in a handful of earth."  
  
Robin volunteered first and threw in a scoop of dirt and one rose form his bouquet. Raven's eyes looked like they blinked but the rain had spread the mud around so he couldn't see it clearly. He bent down on one knee and squinted. Just as the rain had washed her away, he noticed her eyes were closed. He sighed but kept staring as her face. It was Cyborg's turn to throw in the dirt.  
  
Her eyes did blink. 


	18. Alone

Chapter 18: Alone  
  
A/N** DEDICATED TO JOY-CHAN! HIYA! Yeah. Thanks for the reviews everyone! I  
love you all!... lol *muah*  
  
"Raven!" Robin called out. He was about to jump down but Cyborg held on to him.  
  
"What the hell are you doing? You just can't hop in and be obsessed about her!" Cyborg yelled at him. Robin just tried willingly to get down before they dug her.  
  
"Yeah man, ya gotta stop annoying the dead people," Beastboy added smoothly. The priest just frowned.  
  
"Robin. must you. be so worried about her body? She is. not alive anymore," Starfire related. The priest frowned at that as well.  
  
"Please, we must let her rest in peace," the priest instructed in a strong tone.  
  
"Wait! Just wait! I know-" Robin was cut off.  
  
"Know what?" the Catholic Priest asked.  
  
"I know she's living! Just let me prove it!" Robin begged.  
  
"We can't let her be buried alive then, shall we?" the priest nodded and let him but the others weren't so sure, understanding that he was depressed about Raven, he could be seeing things.  
  
"Let go of me, Cyborg!" Robin demanded through gritted teeth.  
  
"C'mon man, face the facts," Beastboy announced, being the spokes- person for them all. "She's dead."  
  
"She's not dead! I can prove it! Let me go! I can show you!" Robin struggled to get down there. They all held on to him.  
  
"If she is alive, she would be knocking on the glass to let her free," Starfire told, standing in front of him. He tried to push past her but she stopped him and Cyborg gripped onto him. The rain made his cape slippery. Robin strengthened his arms at the fact that she would knock on the glass coffin if she were alive, or at least would communicate with them by mind.  
  
"But. just please let me check," Robin griped. Cyborg loosened his grip but didn't let him go.  
  
"Okay... go ahead," Beastboy allowed. Robin grinned at him and jumped down. Sitting on his knees, he wiped the mud away from the view of Raven's face. Robin then pulled out a dagger and but a square a little larger than Raven's face. Being stuck there, he pried the hole loose with his dagger and saw Raven's eyes were closed.  
  
"She's dead. Let it go," Beastboy insisted. Cyborg bent down on one knee and tried to pull him up. Starfire tried to convince him.  
  
"Robin, you have seen things Earthlings are yet not suppose to experience, have I been correct?" She asked, staring at his face.  
  
"You mean delusional?" Beastboy answered.  
  
"I suppose that is how you say it," Starfire nodded. Robin ignored them.  
  
"I know she's living!" Robin scolded. He put the glass square up by the priest's feet, which was also watching and cut another square hole large enough for her body to squeeze through.  
  
After minutes of carefully cutting the glass so he wouldn't splinter it into his hands, e stood with Raven's feet between his legs. He wiped the tears, rain and sweat off of his eyebrows and took Raven's by the arms, pining it to her side hard enough to lift her up. Robin shook her, proclaiming, "Raven! I know you're alive! Please! Be alive!"  
  
Robin laid down on the ground 6 feet above them and jumped out of the hole. He sat by her and pinned her shoulders down, shaking her on the ground.  
  
"Please..."  
  
There was no breath.  
  
"I know you're alive!"  
  
There was no sound; there was no movement of life. He sighed. He turned his back against her and crossed his legs, staring at the sky, letting the rain wash away tears. Softly and silently he cried. His hands were draped over his ankles and he let the mud suck at his finger.  
  
In the distance, someone was gagging and it became louder every second. He looked to his right. Everyone was staring, wide eyed.  
  
"Robin?" a squeak came out from behind him. He turned around and looked at the struggling Raven trying to get up.  
  
"Raven!? You're. alive?!" Robin exclaimed. She turned her head away from the tower and towards Robin. She slightly shook her head and gave him a quirky smile. "How. when!?"  
  
There was no sound again and he worried again.  
  
"Raven!" Robin hugged her but could feel the rhythm of her heart and sighed in relief. She only passed out. He was glad she was alive. His heart finally let itself pace at a normal rate. He could eat in the kitchen and he could listen to music again without being hurt.  
  
With that, he lifted her and carried her inside. Her tender body was rising up to normal body temperature and he smiled. Her face was so full of tranquility that he began to fall in love wit her a lot more.  
  
Meanwhile, Cyborg, Beastboy and Starfire were very happy and told the priest that he could leave. He was offered money, took it to donate to the poor and left.  
  
Inside, Robin left Raven on the couch and held her hand, sitting on the ground. The others came inside, drying themselves off with towels.  
  
"Is she really living?" Beastboy added, concerned.  
  
"I think so," Cyborg stated.  
  
"Then it is a blessing to have her alive again," Starfire smiled. Robin nodded. Deep down Starfire's heart, it was both a blessing and a curse to her. Raven was her best friend after all, and she was some what depressed, but being too optimistic made her a little happy. Since Raven's death, Starfire grabbed Robin and made him hers.  
  
Starfire stood behind the couch, wrists folded under her chin, elbows resting on the leather. Beastboy was standing next to Robin and Cyborg stood behind them. All eyes were on Raven for the next move. Several hours later, Cyborg sat on the other couch and started playing video games. Beastboy left to play as well. Starfire just intently gazed at Robin, sighing dreamily away at the remembrance of their date almost two weeks ago.  
  
"Jerikai loved Raven, but he also hated Raven," Robin blurted out to himself. "He must have crazy emotions then." They all stared at him.  
  
"Uh. what do you mean? I thought he liked Raven," Cyborg said while pushing fingers on buttons.  
  
"He hated her because she left him- she came to us at age 13- then she was married to him when she was still 13!" Robin exclaimed. "But he still loves her."  
  
"Uh. can you say gross?" Beastboy barked. "Hey! No fair! You did that when I wasn't looking! Cheater." he muttered as Cyborg seized the opportunity and crashed Beastboy's car into the street light.  
  
'So he killed Slade too? Its suicide, but he sacrificed himself to save us too. Why would he do that if he wanted to keep Raven? To make her happy? But how did Raven get her life back?' the thoughts mused with Robin.  
  
"He was a monk on Azarath," Raven mumbled, "Jerikai had many powers and one was to take away a life. He did take my life away. but when he dies, all the lives he took will be going back to their bodies, but some are unfortunate. They don't have anymore flesh to keep them alive."  
  
"Ok, that answered a lot," Beastboy replied.  
  
Robin looked at her confused. She gave a slight grin.  
  
"I read your mind," she garbled. Starfire looked at her with utter jealousy and flew over to Robin, who just stood up.  
  
"Robin, when are we going tot eh buffet of the Japanese? Shall we go tomorrow?" Starfire proclaimed. She looked at Raven who had tears welled in her eyes but didn't dare let it show. She felt a little guilt blossoming in her consciousness. "Um. Raven? Robin and I have arranged to be together!" Starfire tried to wipe away the tears with words. It didn't work.  
  
"Oh. OK. I see. I think I want to go take a shower now." Raven declared looking away and then teleported to her room. She ran to her door and locked it.  
  
'They're together? How could I have been so stupid!?' she thought, her vanity cracked and the windows flew open, making the room cold. Upset as she was, she couldn't do anything. Raven slid her hand through her hair, relieving it of mud. She looked at her hand and frowned.  
  
"I guess I do need a shower now," she publicized to herself. Through the bath, she hummed little notes that were played at the Christmas party. She smiled and remembered what it felt like when Robin caressed his hand against hers or how his breathe brushed her cheek and how nice and lovely it felt just to have him close by. But all of that vanished when Starfire grasped onto his heart.  
  
Envy was her main desire to feel. Being heart broken seemed to be the theme in her world. Defeat was defiantly a goal for Raven. Or was it to love and to be loved was the name of the game? She brushed it away and got out of the tub.  
  
Starfire appeared to be so much prettier than Raven ever will be and she had stolen the person she wanted to be with in a snap. Nothing ever went right for her. She thought she was ugly and that no one cared for her. She didn't feel sorry for herself. She just felt too much alone. The card of Fate began to play and it was supposedly on Starfire and Robin.  
  
As she got dressed, she put on a lack tank top and dark gray, fluffy sweat pants. She looked at herself in the mirror to her mind. Robin flashed, smiling with Starfire, chatting their minutes away as if Time was nothing.  
  
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" Raven shouted, covering her ears, not wishing for her romantic side to talk to her. Venturing down stairs she looked at Robin and Starfire. They were smiling, just like what the mirror had told her.  
  
"Ok! I go you now!" Beastboy laughed, Cyborg had his mouth hung open.  
  
"No way! This little fur ball is actually beating me?!" Cyborg screeched at him. He buried his face in his palms. Raven watched amused.  
  
"Just like old time," Raven smirked.  
  
"Did you say something?" Robin asked, looking up at her. Starfire just hugged him and let go. She gritted her teeth. How could they just forget about her death like that? She thought they would be more sympathetic. Especially Starfire, but she was too busy adoring her new boyfriend. Raven, in a surge of anger, flexed her muscles and just continued to stare at Beastboy.  
  
"My ultimate favorite," Beastboy added smoothly, slicking back his hair. "Michael Jackson's Beat It!"  
  
"Oh God, here we go again," Cyborg complained.  
  
"They told him don't you ever come around here  
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear  
  
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear  
  
So beat it, just beat it  
  
You better run, you better do what you can  
  
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man  
  
You wanna be tough, better do what you can  
  
So beat it, but you wanna be bad," Beastboy sang, doing the moon walk and then throwing up his arms one by one.  
  
"Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
No one wants to be defeated  
  
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
  
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right  
  
Just beat it, beat it  
  
Just beat it, beat it  
  
Just beat it, beat it  
  
Just beat it, beat it  
  
They're out to get you, better leave while you can.  
  
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man  
  
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can  
  
So beat it, just beat it  
  
You have to show them that you're really not scared  
  
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare  
  
They'll kick you, then they beat you,  
  
Then they'll tell you it's fair  
  
So beat it, but you wanna be bad!" Cyborg groaned as Beastboy kept on continuing.  
  
"You're singing off tune," Cyborg commented. Beastboy shrugged.  
  
"Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
No one wants to be defeated  
  
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
  
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
No one wants to be defeated  
  
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
  
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right," Cyborg sand along.  
  
"Hey! It was my song first!" Beastboy glared. Cyborg mimicked his moves and shrugged.  
  
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
No one wants to be defeated  
  
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
  
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right  
  
Just beat it, beat it  
  
Beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it  
  
No one wants to be defeated  
  
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
  
It doesn't matter who's wrong or who's right  
  
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it!  
  
No one wants to be defeated-" the song kept going, but the karaoke didn't.  
  
"That was my song!" Beastboy whined. "You stole my song!"  
  
"Aw, shut up man, I think I know how to do Michael Jackson moves," Cyborg swanked, "Better than you!" He bent down to Beastboy's size and grinned while Beastboy pouted.  
  
"For the rest of the day, Beastboy blew steam off by changing into a mouse and cowering in a vent as Cyborg improved his video-game playing.  
  
"This. is so pathetic," Raven commented. She glanced over to Robin who glanced back at her. His yes seemed to show love. She wasn't quite sure on who he loved though. She ignored him, "I'm going to my room."  
  
Robin turned his head away; he was still a bit depressed. He stood up and walked over to Raven's room and noticed that a book was dropped.  
  
'It's probably Raven's form when I was collecting her stuff,' Robin thought. He picked it up and smiled. 'This is the gift I bought Raven.'  
  
As he opened it, he saw three poems and one prose, but only read the first entry- the very first poem. If all the days were black. If all the nights were cold. If all the stars turned its back. All the Truths wouldn't be told  
  
If no one had a heart. If no one had a soul. If everyone had to be apart. In everyone's life, there would be a hole  
  
If words couldn't express love. If eyes couldn't tell. If hearts couldn't untangle the vines of. A person lied and already fell  
  
Perhaps I wanted him Perhaps I needed him Perhaps I taunted him Perhaps I heeded him  
  
What if I loved a bird? What if I loved a Robin of thee? What if I never said a word? What if it never chirped for me?  
  
As soon as he finished the poem, he dropped the book and stared in disbelief. The diary was one thing, but this poem was another. He broke her heart and walked to Raven's room.  
  
"I forgot about the diary!" he verbally abused himself. "What if she reads it? Would she know I was sleeping in her room? Arg. this can't be happening." the complaints kept on.  
  
Raven was fixing her room, even thought everything was in place just as it was before. When she was straightening out her bed, she saw her diary. She opened it and read the last entry, remembering that Starfire and Robin were together.  
  
January 13  
  
Everything has gone wrong. I never knew that Starfire would know about my feelings. I said I didn't care about him. In truth, I do. I really do.  
  
I don't want him to think I hate him. I wanted to Robin to know that I love him.  
  
There was another entry, just three days ago to be exact, but she wasn't living. She read it. A surprising note was found in it and she was a bit happy to have read it, she was also a bit flustered. She didn't know what to feel.  
  
**January 21  
  
Raven died and I can't tell er anything now. I know she doesn't hate me, and I care about her too. I want to be with her, but Starfire already asked me to be with her first. Why did it have to be this way? It hurts just to see Raven with empty eyes.  
  
I want Raven to know that I love her too. It just can't happen. She's not here to hold anymore.**  
  
It wasn't her entry, it was an added one.  
  
The precious hand-writing belonged to Robin. 


	19. Splintering Heart

Chapter 19: Splintering Heart  
  
A/n** yeah. so here it is.. But it's not even close to being done!! Yeah!  
But I really appreciate the reviews!  
  
After re-reading the entry for multiple times, Raven looked up as her door slid open. Robin stood there, holding her poetry book.  
  
"Robin. this diary-" Raven initiated.  
  
Confessions activated.  
  
"I didn't mean it, Raven. I was just confused. I'm with Starfire now," Robin sympathetically told. She dropped her journal and froze.  
  
Splintering Heart.  
  
"Didn't mean what?" Raven asked. She had grown quite furious with him. He kept silent.  
  
Echoing words.  
  
"I love you Raven! But only as a friend." Robin implied. "I love Starfire more than you.  
  
Secret revealed.  
  
"Oh, I see," Raven nodded. Her neck stiffened at trying not to cry. Before any glimpse of tear fell, she teleported to the roof. She took her diary with her.  
  
Gone again.  
  
As Raven sat alone on the roof, she revised her diary.  
  
"How could I have been so stupid!?" Raven snarled through her teeth. She tore up all the pages and ripped them to shreds. "If he likes Starfire, then. then I guess, that. I'm okay with that," she choked.  
  
Looking at the shred in her hands, she walked to the edge of the roof and threw it over. When it fluttered down, the wind picked up, blowing it into the water. Raven smiled.  
  
'I guess that's better,' she pondered. 'No one can know my thoughts, now.' Her stomach growled, causing a blush to happen.  
  
"I should eat something," she alleged. She made her way down the stairs to the rec room, holding what was left of her diary and noticed Robin and Starfire together. She froze. As she much as wanted to move, her feet were glued.  
  
Sitting on the sofa, Robin flipped channels, not even glancing at them. He looked right past the T.V. thinking of Raven. He scowled at every time he said the wrong thing at the wrong time at the wrong place.  
  
"Robin? If we shall leave for the buffet of the Japanese now, would it be alright?" Starfire quizzed. Robin raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Tonight? I thought we were going tomorrow," he stated.  
  
"But, I have wanted to spend 'quality' time with Raven, tomorrow," Starfire pronounced.  
  
"Does she know?" Robin asked. Starfire blushed.  
  
"I shall comprise her all of the activities we shall do tomorrow," Starfire affirmed. "But I shall let her know that we are going!" Robin laughed.  
  
"You know what, Star?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You're optimistic."  
  
"Optimistic?" Starfire didn't know what that word meant and tried looking it up in her mind's own dictionary.  
  
"It means you're hopeful -er. always cheery," he said, answering her question.  
  
"Oh! Thank you for informing me, Robin," Starfire expressed gratitude.  
  
"That's why I like you so much," Robin said, hugging her. She smiled brightly and hugged him back. Robin held back a bit and stared at her face. He thought she was too precious to lose, and brushed her hair away.  
  
"Robin, if I may, I would like to kiss you now," Starfire breathed.  
  
"I- want... to kiss you too, Star," he whispered, drawing her close.  
  
Raven gasped. Her body quaked.  
  
They drew closer and closer until their lips met. Her lips were so soft; he couldn't resist but keep it there. Robin finally pulled away, as she reached forth, trying to kiss him, he pushed her back a bit and let her head rest on his shoulders.  
  
They remained that way for what had seemed all eternity but was only a few seconds. They never detected Raven there until a heavy book dropped.  
  
"Starfire. Robin?" Raven quoted. The diary flipped open to empty pages. The alien girl quickly pulled away as she held his hand. The telekinetic clenched on her cloaked that surrounded her sides and tried hiding tears with covering her face by the hood. The ground had drips of water.  
  
"Raven!" Starfire puffed. "I. I am sorry!" Raven ignored her and stared at the ground while tears slid down her face and hung to her chin then splattered on the floor. She slowly loosened the grip on her cloak and stumbled a blaming finger at Robin.  
  
"You. YOU LIAR! How dare you lie to me?! How dare you trick me into playing your stupid pointless game!?" Raven started to yell and interrogate. "Well, Robin?!" All the moveable objects flew around, the windows open, letting in winter wind. Papers flew as well. Starfire kept her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Raven. just let me-" Robin began.  
  
"No! Are you going to proclaim your love for Starfire?" Raven asked. Robin kept silent, his cape trying to go with the wind. "Because I won't listen if you do!"  
  
"Raven. You don't have to be mad," Robin tried calming her but like always, it never worked.  
  
"YOU SAID THAT IF ANYTHING BAD HAPPENED TO ME- IF I GOT HURT.!" Raven continued. "You... ROBIN. I HATE YOU, ROBIN!!!" She managed to slur into one.  
  
"Raven, wait," Robin tried stopping her, "Raven!" Every pace of wind increased and the solid objects that were flying around crashed into the wall, denting it.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!" Raven declared. With that, she broke the window and flew out.  
  
"It does not seem that Raven is alright," Starfire said, stating the obvious. Robin groaned and covered his face. He plopped down on the couch and leaned back.  
  
"God. How could I have made this day any worse for her.?" Robin asked himself. Starfire wanted to get the entire burden off his mind.  
  
"Shall, we go?" she asked. Robin just sat there, still.  
  
"I don't."  
  
"Robin?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I shall prepare the jet," Starfire announced.  
  
"Yeah, I'll come with you," Robin slowly got up and followed Starfire to the jet.  
  
Just then, Cyborg and Beastboy walked in.  
  
"Damn. what happened here?" Cyborg interviewed first.  
  
"Looks like Hurricane Raven visited here," Beastboy supplemented second.  
  
"Something like that," Robin muttered. He was too embarrassed to say anything at all. Starfire looked at them and nodded. She clung to his arm and they ambled out of the room.  
  
"Looks like someone got Raven angry," Cyborg confirmed. Beastboy nodded.  
  
"REALLY angry," the teenaged green hero added. With that they laughed at what trouble Robin had gotten into with girls this time. "Dude, he has got to learn some tricks from the pimp-master right here." Beastboy said, indicating himself.  
  
"Like you are a pimp," Cyborg teased. Beastboy glowered.  
  
"All the women go after me," Beastboy winked. Cyborg snickered.  
  
"All the women go after ROBIN. You're just there when it happens," Cyborg indicated.  
  
"Shut up! You aren't going to be a pimp any time soon!"  
  
"That's because I already am," Cyborg grinned. "All the girls like shiny techno men, who can dance."  
  
"Really? Like who?" Beastboy glowered.  
  
"Here, let me show you," Cyborg laughed as he pulled out his wallet and revealed the photos of him and his fan girls. Beastboy stuck his tongue out.  
  
"Let's see. that one's ugly, that one's ugly. That one is DEFINETLY ugly... Man! You got all the ugly chicks in here!" Beastboy commented.  
  
"At least they're better looking than you!" Cyborg grinned.  
  
"So?"  
  
"And at least I have some!" Cyborg grinned again. Beastboy scoffed.  
____________________________  
  
Raven wavered around on the beach, the rocks cracked as she walked past, the sand particles fused up in several places. The wind blew in her face and stung several tears.  
  
"Why didn't I see it before?" Raven thought out loud.  
  
She fell against the sand and looked at the sky. As she thought that the gray day couldn't have gotten any worse, it started to rain and the tide increased, splashing all over her. She sat up and sputtered salt water out. Seaweed was resting on her shoulders but she managed to take it off.  
  
For hour after hour, she walked the polluted streets of their home town. She saw people's face she recognized and didn't recognize. She suddenly ended up at the front of Millie's diner.  
  
"Dear, get it in here!" a familiar husky voice called to her. She smiled. They haven't met in the greatest condition, but it didn't matter. She really liked how the old woman was so nice to people. "It's freezing cold- You're all wet! Here's a towel!"  
  
"I'm sorry," Raven mumbled. Millie shrugged.  
  
"It's alright," Millie laughed as she towel dried Raven's hair. She recognized those lonely eyes that the young girl held. It was full of fear and revelation. It wasn't like before. Millie knew she'd be safe now. "Would you like something to eat? It's on the house."  
  
Raven looked at her and shook her head. Her stomach growled. The restaurant owner laughed and wrapped Raven up in bundles of towels.  
  
"You should eat," Millie told. With that, Raven sat in the chair by the window, exposed to the people. As the droplets of rain formed into sleets with thunder and lightening. The familiar streets that she once knew transformed into a lonesome street as people of all age and size rushed into a building.  
  
Minutes later, Millie came rushing out with a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup and loaves of bread.  
  
"Is that good?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," Raven murmured. In an hour's time, she finished her food, always interrupted by the thoughts of Robin. 


	20. A Heart of Stone

Chapter 20: A Heart of Stone  
  
A/n** THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS YOU GUYS!! THANK YOU SO MUCHO!! Ai love you guys!! I got a bit over 25 reviews. and if some didn't count as a yes then, I don't care. but thank you sooooo much!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!! ALL OF  
YOU!!!!! Well. most. ^_^ anyways. yeah.  
  
So. I hope you understand. about Raven and Robin. ^^;;; in this, Robin seems like he loves Starfire more, but in truth he loves Raven more. SO be  
ready for the engaging of.. FLUFF ROMANCE!! Lol.  
  
THANKS FOR LETTING THIS CONTINUE ONCE MORE!!!  
  
Raven picked at her loaves of bread as people stopped by to have dinner at the diner. Her steaming hot cup of coffee sat there, waiting to be drunk.  
  
"Not hungry?" the owner smiled. Raven shook her head.  
  
"Do you have. tea?"  
  
"Sure, what kind of tea would'ya like?" Millie offered.  
  
"Herbal. um. Jasmine, please," Raven just kept staring at the dead sky. Millie nodded and set off only minutes later to arrive. The telekinetic female pushed away her coffee, in fear of being reminded of him.  
  
"Would you like to stay here for tonight?" Millie let slip. Raven didn't say anything. "It is kinda cold, dear, and by the looks of it, I don't think you want to go back to home right now."  
  
She was right. Raven didn't want to go back to the tower. but she didn't want to go home because of him. She sighed, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Love, I'm always open," the women encouraged. "Anytime, alright?" Millie patted Raven's hand and followed the commands of the other customers.  
  
Raven sat there for another hour. It was well a little past 10, but she didn't mind. Neither did Millie.  
  
"Dear?" her husky voice asked in concerned.  
  
"I think I'll go now," Raven announced.  
  
"But you have no where to go," Millie stated. Raven stopped before she reached the door. She turned around to face the red-head.  
  
"Then. do you mind. if I stay in here?" Raven stammered. Millie chuckled in a raspy voice and shook out her hair net as the place was closing.  
  
"Of course, dear," she offered.  
  
"T-Thank. you." Raven nodded. She followed Millie into the apartment on the floor above and showered and was dressed in Millie's daughter's clothes.  
  
"Where did you say these clothes came from again?" Raven asked, afraid to wear the article of clothing. After all, she didn't want to wear dead people clothes.  
  
"My daughter, she's off to college right now," Millie smiled. "She's in Harvard right now. She's a great student, I'm so proud of her." Millie smiled with little tears in her eyes. But she shook it off.  
  
"I see. What is her goal?" Raven interrogated.  
  
"A lawyer," She said. Raven nodded. "Oh! Here, I forgot to show you where you sleep." She marched Raven to her guest room and dusted out a few blankets and pillows. Raven stopped her.  
  
"I can do it. I think you should get rest; you're very hungry as well. You should eat," Raven declared. Millie nodded.  
  
"And whatever you want is yours," Millie instructed. "And you can stay here as long as you want." Raven nodded. She watched Millie bounce out of the door and sighed. She looked out the window and it seemed that the rain had stopped already. She decided to leave the next day.  
  
She meditated, clearing her mind of all distractions. She seemed to get everything out of her head except for that guy who shattered her heart, the guy who shattered all promises, and the guy who shattered just her. Robin.  
  
As Robin and Starfire were wasting their time at the buffet, all he could think about was her. Starfire although didn't notice. His mask concealed the look in his eyes.  
  
"Are you not having a fun time, Robin?" Starfire pondered. Robin looked up at her and nodded. He grinned.  
  
"Why wouldn't I have fun?" He inquired.  
  
"I do not know," Starfire shrugged. "It is clear that you are worried about Raven. I wish to understand how it is you feel about her." She gently reached over and placed a hand over his.  
  
"I love you. Isn't all that matters, Starfire?" Robin examined.  
  
"Yes, I suppose it is," Starfire smiled.  
  
The rest of the evening, they spent their date at an airport.  
  
"What are we doing at an airport Robin?" She questioned. He kept quiet and smiled.  
  
"Let's go out here," He said, pushing past the people to the runway of the airplane.  
  
"Are we allowed to be out here?" Starfire cross-examined. He nodded.  
  
"I got permission for the team to go out here," Robin stated.  
  
"Hey!" A man flashed his lights at him. Starfire was scared enough to shiver. He remained calmed.  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. Police!" Starfire screamed. "I shall not trespass ever again! Do not throw us in jail! Please!?" The man looked at her slowly and began laughing at her. "Why are you laughing? Are you not going to throw us into jail?" He laughed even harder.  
  
"Star, he's not going to arrest us. This is James. He's here to er. um. make sure our dates go well tonight," Robin reassured. James was actually there tell them where to sit. She nodded.  
  
As the manager of the airport showed them the safest place to sit, Starfire looked at the sky. She gasped.  
  
"It is all so beautiful!" She exclaimed as the stars twinkled and the planes took off.  
  
"Glad you like! Now you two can enjoy your dates now, see you!" James laughed and rushed inside.  
  
Robin held out his hand and Starfire took it. They sat down on a blanket set over tarp. He breathed out fog and she inhaled the crisp air. He smirked while looking at her. He draped his arms over her and held her close.  
  
They stayed out there, looking at the sky. They even stayed there until the sun rose. Starfire sighed away as Robin tried to stab the natural light.  
  
He remembered at the Christmas party. Raven and he were dancing on the roof, alone to music playing over and over again. Their body was close to each other, just to keep each other warm from the snow, nipping at their skin. Her skin was so pale and soft it made him shivered, just from touching it. He remembered how nervous she felt, and how excited he was just to hold her. He remembered everything.  
  
As the hours passed into morning, Robin and Starfire left to eat breakfast.  
  
"That was an enjoyable date," Starfire smiled. Tired as she was, she felt over joyed just to have Robin as her boyfriend.  
  
They sat in the comfortable red seats of Millie's Diner and were served.  
  
Meanwhile, Raven cleaned her clothes in the laundry-mat connected to Millie's diner and the apartment. When the clock struck 9 AM, Raven put on her clothes, left for the bank and returned with a few hundreds retrieved from her account.  
  
'Thank you for letting me stay here. I washed your clothes and cleaned all your rooms. Fair well.'  
  
Raven left that note to Millie on her counter in her apartment, threw 5 hundred dollars there and fled the building through the main doors of Millie's Diner. or tried to flee.  
  
"Raven?" a cheery voice hummed. She recognized that voice right away. Starfire-  
  
"What?" she groaned.  
  
"So this is where you've been hiding out," Robin smirked, pretending he didn't care at all.  
  
"What about it?" she sneered. His mouth formed a straight line, trying not to frown or show any hint of despair.  
  
"It is just that, you did not want to see us. It had hurt us, Raven," Starfire spoke for Robin.  
  
"It did?" Raven gestured. "Oh well." She was playing the same exact game Robin was. She averted her head away and walked out, but was held onto by Robin.  
  
"Don't you even care for us?!" Robin yelled at her. Starfire tried to close the conversation by separating them, but they both ignored her.  
  
"Please! Stop!" She screamed over and over again.  
  
"Well?" Robin asked again. Raven looked at him.  
  
"Do you care about me?" Raven snarled. She closed her eyes and turned her back against him.  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?" Robin implied. He was staring down at her clenched fist.  
  
"Answer me!" Raven roared.  
  
"No. OK!? NO!" Robin replied.  
  
"Then I don't care about you," she retorted. He held onto her shoulder with his right hand. She shrugged it away and started walking. Robin just watched.  
  
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Starfire sounded out. Robin stayed fastened to the ground, watching Raven walk away from him. "Robin?"  
  
"Of course she will!" he barked. She held back from hugging him. They returned to the warmth of the diner.  
  
"Hey. it's you!" a tall, muscular man with grey eyes and black hair smiled. Starfire turned to see that man pointing at her.  
  
"Yes?" she asked. "Are you in need of some assistance?"  
  
"No, but you will," he smirked. "Heheh!" he did a hand-spring towards them and got into a fighting stanza. Starfire took a step-back, jumped towards him and tried to punch him. He grabbed her fist and threw her out the window.  
  
"That's the second time in less than a year, Robin!" Millie yelled from the kitchen.  
  
"We'll pay for the damage!" Robin responded while throwing freeze disk at the man. "Who are you!? What do want!? And who are you working for?!"  
  
The man smirked.  
  
"I'm Cold Stone and I'm here to kill you all!" he laughed in his deep, echoed voice. Robin lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"What kind of name is Cold Stone?" he asked.  
  
"And what kind of name is Robin!?" he yelled back. Robin sneered under his breath.  
  
"Oh, that throw had given me quite a few injuries," Starfire said, rubbing her head.  
  
"You're next!" he indicated towards Starfire. Cold Stone ran towards her. He grabbed her and stopped in the middle of the street causing car to halt and crash into one another.  
  
"Let go of her! Hey!" Robin ordered. Cold Stone didn't listen. Instead, he withdrew a box made of lead and opened it to reveal a smooth, oval stone attached to another lead chain. Starfire tried with all her might to get loose, but his arm was too heavy and strong to push away even for her. "What're you doing to her!?"  
  
Cold Stone laughed again and graced the stone across Starfire's cheek bone.  
  
"Ahhh!!!!!" Starfire yelled, feeling herself become paralyzed. Robin looked at her shocked and with wide eyes.  
  
"Stop it! Now!" Robin yelled, racing over to her.  
  
"Hah! Catch me if you can!" he jumped to fly away.  
  
"What's going on?" Raven asked serious. She had teleported to their area when she felt a strong presence of an omen.  
  
"Look for yourself," Robin trailed off. She took a quick glance at Starfire. She had become frozen. Her skin was so rough and pale to the point of dark gray. Her eyes were wide open and her hands clutching air by her neck. She stood still.  
  
"She's stone?" Raven asked, touching her arm. She used to be so warm, but now, the Tamaran was cold. "How?"  
  
"Someone named Cold Stone turned her into this," Robin breathed. Raven nodded.  
  
"Meet me at the tower. I'm going to teleport there with Starfire," she stated. He agreed and took a taxi to the ferry dock. With special permission he had taken a police boat.  
  
While Raven was at the tower, she placed Starfire in her room and went to check on the other two.  
  
"Cyborg?" she called out first. "Beastboy?" She walked around to find the halls and their rooms were deserted. She headed into the kitchen and found no one. After re-checking the bathrooms, bed rooms, and gym, training room, guest rooms, roof, attic, basement and closet she heard a door-bell ring.  
  
She started to head to the door passing into the rec room.  
  
"Why didn't I look here? They're probably playing games, again. Pathetic people," she thought aloud, feeling a little remorse after not searching there in the first place. She found what she wanted to find in the first place, but not exactly how she wanted them.  
  
"Raven! You here!?" Robin yelled. He traveled through the kitchen to the rec room where Raven was standing in shock. "Did you find-" She turned around to see his face in shock as well.  
  
"Beastboy. and Cyborg." Raven began.  
  
"Are stone." Robin finished.  
  
A/N** Did I mention... THANK YOU!?!? THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL REVIEWERS!!!!!!! 


	21. Frail Rose

Chapter 21: Frail Rose  
  
A/N** I wrote a horror fic for Halloween, even if it's like 3 days late. ^_^ It's in the cartoon section... or you can just click my name. lol. ^_^  
  
They stared at each other, both eyes were wide.  
  
"How... when. were you here?!" Robin interrogated. Raven clenched her fist.  
  
"I just found them like this. How could you think that I didn't stop any of it?" Raven yelled. She glared at him for a few seconds until his eyes showed regret.  
  
"Sorry," he muttered. "I can't help it. It's distressing to find your team mates turned to stone."  
  
Raven nodded. She then stared past him and started to walk down stairs to the door leading to the computer lab.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Robin asked.  
  
"To find the person who caused this," she stated simply. He ran next to her and took her hand. She rejected it by pulling away.  
  
"You're with Starfire. That means no hugging me, no kissing me and no holding my hand," she snarled. Robin didn't withdraw but kept holding her hand. "Robin. didn't you hear me?" They stood still as he inched closer.  
  
"Raven," he whispered. She couldn't resist. Robin had broken down all her defenses. He slowly let go of her hand as he held her tight to his chest.  
  
"What're you doing?" she asked him in a small, soft voice. She grew weak as he held her even closer.  
  
"I want you to know that I meant it when I said I loved you," Robin smiled, recalling the day when Raven was stuck in the hospital.  
  
"Said you loved me? When?" Raven asked. He blushed and remembered that she wasn't awake. He shook his head.  
  
"Er- nothing, I was just thinking out loud," Robin covered.  
  
"Oh. I see," Raven whispered again.  
  
Robin held onto her for another few minutes until Raven interrupted.  
  
"I think we should go search now," she stated. Her forehead was still laid against the crook of his neck. She gently pushed away and looked at his face. He smiled at her as she walked out of the door to the computer lab, feeling awkward. Raven was recovering from unexpected bliss. Her face was cooling down from the pink blooming in her cheeks. The words he said whirled in her head. She didn't know what was going to pop out next at her. She shook it off.  
  
Raven was typing away at the key board not knowing Robin was behind her the whole time. She looked up the possible sites Cold Stone could be at but found only two sites. As she was printing out other possible sites, she swiveled around and stood up, reading the choices and bumped into Robin.  
  
"Uh, I found-" she said trying to start a conversation, like he wanted.  
  
"The places? I was standing right here," he declared. "Looks like it's not on earth. another outer space mission I guess. I'm pumped and ready to go!"  
  
"So you've been looking over my shoulders, ok," she shrugged. She pushed past him and teleported with Beastboy and Cyborg to her room. She didn't care if they were in her room, she wanted to protect them. When she teleported back down stairs, she found Robin training.  
  
"Let's go," she said to him. He nodded and followed her to the roof where the jet was. They had gotten a new one since Jinx had destroyed their last one. As Raven sat at the pilot seat, Robin placed a hand on her shoulders. She looked up at him. "What?"  
  
"Are you sure you want to be driving?" Robin asked. She shrugged.  
  
"Yea, why?" she asked to answer his question. Just then, their tele- phone screen initiated and Slade appeared.  
  
"Why are you still alive?!" Robin sneered at the sight of him. Slade chuckled.  
  
"Did you really think that I would die at the hands of a man like him?" Slade inquired, laughing, "I don't think so Robin. Hmmm. Well I only called you for one thing."  
  
"And what did you want to tell us?" Robin cross-examined. Slade smirked.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to introduce you to someone," he acknowledged. "Perhaps you've run into him before. He uses an oval shape pendant to turn mortals to stone. actually; it can turn anyone into stone. And don't underestimate his fighting skills. He's in a higher fighting skill than mine, and Robin, you can barely beat me. So don't think you can save everyone- wait, that's Raven back there. What is she still doing living? Hm, no matter, Cold Stone will get you easily, I assure you. You have very little time. No, this time it's not a decoy, this time it's real. You only have 2 months before they combust after they become stone. Don't try looking here; he's not on earth anymore. I guess my time with you is becoming short as well; soon he'll turn you to stone. Good bye ex- apprentice."  
  
With that, the tele-phone screen automatically switched off, leaving Raven and Robin standing in the jet, looking at it. He, however, clenched his fists into two balls. She placed a hand on his shoulders.  
  
"It's Slade." Robin announced. Raven watched him. "We have to destroy him this time!"  
  
"Last time we almost defeated him, Robin; there were other times when we almost beat him," Raven said glumly, "We might not beat him now, but in the future we will." She only said what was true. Robin grew furious at the thought of not putting him to where he belonged and grabbed Raven's shoulders. He looked into her hollow eyes.  
  
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you ever say that! We can get him this time," Robin then clawed his fingers into Raven's leotard almost ripping it to reveal her pale, soft skin. He threw her against the curved metal walls and stormed into the back where the outlined plans were kept. As he made his way into the bed room, he flipped over the desk.  
  
"Robin," Raven stated clearly. He turned around to see her struggling to get up. He had been so angry that he hurt her. Robin ran sighed and walked into the bedroom where he met Raven. She had teleported from where she was thrown.  
  
"Er- Raven." he tried to apologized. Raven looked at him. He cringed in his mind.  
  
"You're way over your head," Raven told, "I believe that you can beat Slade, but we're not running a race against him right now, we're running a race against time. Either you help, or I do it alone and watch you cower like the leader you are."  
  
"We are running a race against him; he's watching our every move. I can't let him kill the others!" he cried out. "This happened before. I can't let it happen again. Not to Starfire." Raven gritted her teeth.  
  
"You had to do it or else we would've been dead right now! It was the right thing to do, even if it hurt Starfire, even if it made her be emotionally intact!"  
  
"It hurt you too, didn't it? I remembered, seeing the hollowness in your eyes, Raven," he said, looking at her face. She bit her lip. "You cried for me too. You hid it so well by fighting against me. I was glad, or else all of you died. I didn't want to fight Starfire though, so I fought you." Raven stepped back.  
  
"You fought me to protect Starfire?" Raven developed anger from deep with in. Robin shamefully nodded. "I did everything for you along time ago, I still do! I got you out of the mess when we were leaving Slade's hide-out. I let you go find him, but I didn't know why you were his apprentice, now I do. But, you had to show your love for Starfire?"  
  
Raven took a deep breath in and turned, walking out of the door, leaving him to hang on her every word.  
  
"So I guess I'm not that important, huh?" she whispered, passing him before she did walk out of the door. He heard a door slam as she flew out to the city's Space-Port. He sighed and got in the pilot's seat of the jet and followed her.  
  
When Raven saw Robin flying behind her, she stood still for a second and teleported. Robin growled and sped up. When he set it down, he saw Raven talking with the manager of the space-port. She had her hood up and gestured her hand towards the back of the port's parking lot. While he walked over, Raven was finished and kept going straight to their personal rocket.  
  
"Raven, can I-" Robin began but Raven glided inside the rocket and closed the door. He growled at his behavior from earlier. He punched in a few keys on the gate opener and let him self in.  
  
"We're leaving now, Terran, please warm the engine," Raven asked loudly. They nodded on the visual intercom and started everything. A few minutes after they got there, the set-up crew started to prepare everything as did the people in the control room.  
  
"Hey, Teen Titans, if you wait for a few hours, that'd be great," Terran, the manager of the Teen Titan's air-ships section, said. They nodded. "Oh, and, maybe you could brush up on your flight skills eh?" They, once again, nodded at her.  
  
After 6 quick hours of training on fighting and flying the rocket, they stopped and decided Robin was hungry. Raven sat there, looking out the window, thinking of what they could do to find the man. She thought again.  
  
'I don't know how long it will take to find that guy, but I'm guessing it'll take about 3 weeks at the least. When we get back, they'll probably be dead!' She thought. She teleported to the tower and grabbed onto Starfire, bringing her on board then repeated with Beastboy and Cyborg.  
  
"Where were you?" Robin said as he shoved food in his mouth as if he had just eaten in three weeks.  
  
"Making sure the rest of our team won't die while we're on the trip," Raven responded.  
  
"Okay," he said.  
  
"I'll be going outside," Raven confirmed, he bobbed his head. While she was outside, she started meditating. 45 minutes later, she was disturbed by Robin.  
  
"Azarath, metrion, zinthos. Azarath, metrion, zinthos," she repeated. It was almost record breaking. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she shudder with anger. "What?!"  
  
"Raven?" he queried. He stood next to her floating figure and put a hand on her shoulder, "Raven, if we don't survive-"  
  
"Who said we weren't going to survive?" Raven questioned. He looked at her through his mask, the mask he never took off. He smirked and looked at the sun half way down, from the noon point.  
  
"Yeah, I guess we'll live through this," he shook his head up and down.  
  
"And we'll find a way to bring our friends back to a human form," she added. He nodded again.  
  
"Yeah," Robin agreed. He continued with heart-fluttering words, "Yeah, but Raven."  
  
"What?" she tried to meditate again but was disturbed every now and then. She figured that she wasn't going to meditate and forced her feet down on the ground.  
  
"Raven, if anything happened to either of us, I want you to know that I care for you," Robin smiled. Raven, how ever started to blush, "And I want you to know that I love you."  
  
"Ahem, as a friend?" Raven suggested. He shrugged.  
  
"I guess," he smiled. "Here," he supplemented. He took her hand and forced an object in it. Raven closed her eyes, not wanting embarrassment to flow through. She squeezed her fist, afraid to see what it was, but was poked by the object.  
  
She opened both her eyes and hand to find a dried rose. Even if it was dead, it was beautiful. The faded red grew from the inside and the black- red of it was still on the edges. Roses were her favorite type of flower. It was said to be a weed, but she thought of it as delightful. She smiled and smelled the rose. The sweet scent surrounded her nose. Its frail form was gently placed into her hands. Raven looked at the rose once more, but back to Robin.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered in her quiet voice. He edged towards her as she looked at the simplicity of the charming rose. "How'd you know a rose was my favorite flower?"  
  
"I know you a lot more than you think," he smiled again. She looked at the rose once more.  
  
"When did you get this? How? A dark, deep rose costs too much," she explained.  
  
"I know. It was for your funeral, but since you're alive, I thought you wanted it. I know its dead, but it's still beautiful," he said. 'Like you,' he thought. Robin continued, "And I ordered this."  
  
"Thank you," Raven repeated. Being so close to kissing her, he withdrew and hugged her. She blushed and was too scared to hug him. A silent tear slipped down his face and onto her shoulder. "You're crying? Why is that?"  
  
"I don't want to lose you," he replied. She smiled. He was slowly progressing in expressing his love, as she was too.  
  
"We should go now, I think they're ready-" she began. Robin shook his head and held onto her tighter. She blushed as a fiery glow ran across both her cheeks.  
  
"It doesn't matter if aren't in love with each other, Raven, it only matters if you're by my side," he whispered into her hair. She tried hugging him back but she knew it wasn't right. "I guess then, we should go."  
  
However, Robin didn't let go and she didn't reject. He held her closer, tighter to his heart and soul. She had lay her head on his shoulder and smiled once again. She sub-consciously dropped the rose and hugged him back. In the setting sun, everything seemed perfect for that moment.  
  
As minutes passed by, Raven let go and smiled at him. He smiled back. She then teleported to the rocket and got ready at the control center of it. He picked up the rose and looked at it once more. He grinned and walked over towards the rocket.  
  
When they were inside, Raven blushed every time they came near each other. Robin diverted his eyes somewhere, all the while, smiling on the inside.  
  
"So let's go find a cure, eh?" Robin insisted. Raven nodded and set off the timer to blast off.  
  
"Sure." 


	22. Watching the Stars Pass By

Chapter 22: Watching the Stars Pass By  
  
A/N** Yes!! Finally. Raven Robin fluff!!!! Or at least more. heh! ^^ Chapter dedicated to my reviewers! :D Sorry if this chapter is confusing.  
Everything's going to unwrap in the next few chapters.  
  
And btw, Loselen Snow Star, don't sweat about it, I'm really sorry if I  
offended you, Senorita Mango and Hillaryfriend. :D  
  
As they took off at warp speed, they entered their information at the two possible sites and the air-craft flew it self as fast it could to their first planet. Robin smiled. Raven cocked his head to that.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We'll be finding a cure for them, I know it!" Robin grinned at the thought.  
  
"Yes, I believe we will," Raven trailed off.  
  
'Slade said. that Cold Stone was stronger than he was. DAMN IT! Fuck. he's right. I could barely beat Slade with my own strength, even if it depended on my life. But they're all depending on me right now,' he thought. He looked at Raven standing in front of the stone Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg. He heard her sniffle and remembered those were her best friends. 'Raven's depending on me right now.'  
  
"I'm going to go train in the hologram deck, that alright with you?" Raven asked. He nodded.  
  
"Let me come with you," he said, walking right along her side.  
  
"What for? Didn't you train already? Hmph, I guess it won't hurt we help each other," Raven declared. He nodded as they walked through the sliding doors of an elevator and up to the hologram deck.  
  
Robin typed in a code for the hardest level he found on the computer and began it. As demons, machines, aliens and evil copies of the ones closest to them took shape in front of them, so did the treacherous back ground. It was rainy and the waters rose to their waist so it would be difficult to run in while their opponents had no difficult time to attack in. They were also on a cliff, so the running water had tried to push them down. Sometimes the water unexpectedly turned to a boiling degree for a set of minutes and they had no pattern. The water boiling could last for seconds to minutes and go right after the one before it ended. Raven had no problems with getting out of the flood, but the rain had the same format.  
  
Every time the boiling rain happened, Raven grabbed onto Robin's hands and protected themselves by chanting a spell.  
  
"Alright! Drop me down there!" He yelled pointing at a dragon demon that was flying under going in circles, gradually going up to where they were while Robin threw freeze disks at the others. She nodded and felt that the boiling rain had stopped. He gripped his fingers underneath the scales and pulled out a clump.  
  
"What in hell are you doing?!" Raven screamed. She felt hot water rise in temperature and trickle down her neck. She created a forced field and saw Robin grabbing onto the horns of the dragon with one hand and holding the scales in the other.  
  
"The scales are resistant to temperature and always stays at body temperature!" he screamed back at her. Raven nodded and fought against their fake comrades.  
  
"Raven, do you hate me?" a copy of Starfire mimicked.  
  
"Huh?" she looked confused.  
  
"Do you hate me?" her innocent voice echoed. "It is just that, you and Robin are together and you said you did not love him. Yet you have become special to each other and left me with no one. Do you hate me?"  
  
"Of course not... and I don't love Robin!" Raven screamed at her, forgetting it was just an illusion. Robin turned his head and was smacked into the water.  
  
'Did she just say. she didn't love me?!" Robin asked while the water almost scalded his skin. Raven swooped down and grabbed him, setting him on the dragon again. She got the Dragon scale armor and handed it back to him.  
  
"This is only battle, Robin. You have to confuse your opponent and not let them figure your emotions, unless you want them to destroy you and your comrades," Raven scolded. He smiled and nodded and continued fighting.  
  
"Raven, this is your chance to tell me the truth," the copy said. She then hissed as her eyes glowed red and her hair few in tangles and she shot red energy balls at Raven. She defended herself against all her team mates turned evil. Millie was even there and a double of Robin too.  
  
"Hey! Don't let them get to you!" the real Robin yelled at her. She nodded. They began a fight that stood on hours on end; they were just waiting for it to be finished. It was timed for another two hours and every time they defeated something, it would come back stronger with more energy.  
  
Raven looked at the timer, hanging in the air.  
  
'Shit, one hour to go,' she thought to herself. She continued sparring. Every time she sliced through the fake Starfire, the new one would come back fighting even harder and always asking the same question.  
  
"Do you hate me?"  
  
"STOP THAT!" Raven yelled. Starfire flew around her asking the same thing over and over again.  
  
**5**  
  
"Do you-" She began.  
  
"Didn't you hear me the first time?!" Raven responded angrily. She sped towards the Tamaran and kneed her in the stomach. Quickly, she twisted her arm and threw her at the fake Beastboy who was jumping in an attack between Robin and the fake Cyborg.  
  
**4**  
  
They both were knocked into the boiling water and were scalded.  
  
**3**  
  
"I said 'No.' I don't hate you Starfire," Raven sneered. Robin looked back at smiled after hearing what she said. He was on a dragon still, holding a pack of scales in one hand and warding off Cyborg with the other. He had grown quite tall and muscular over the few months with the help of extra- training and exercise, but still as cocky and ambitious as always.  
  
**2**  
  
Robin kick Cyborg in the face punched him in the waters.  
  
"What happened to all the demons?" Robin asked. They looked around each other as all the hot boiling water poured down the cliff. The dragon steamed from underneath its scale finally being burned from the inside out. Robin jumped off.  
  
**1**  
  
"What happened?" Robin asked, looking at Raven. She shrugged.  
  
**0**  
  
"It was on Timer mode, but it's restarting again." Raven trailed. She tried to shut it off, but it wouldn't even show any signs of shutting down.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!?!" he yelled out in anger. They felt soft grass grow underneath their feet. Trees appeared in particles and the moons, stars and glowing planets orbed into view.  
  
"Final Death Match," a voice from the hidden computer said. Raven groaned.  
  
"I guess we were supposed to fight each other, then," she stated. He nodded.  
  
"Begin," the computer commanded.  
  
"We have two hours," she affirmed. He nodded again. "Ready?" She asked while standing in her fighting pose.  
  
"Whenever you are," he responded.  
  
Robin made the first move as Raven jumped. He tackled her down but she teleported behind him.  
  
"Huh?" he quizzed, feeling the air for him.  
  
"Right behind you," She smirked. She kicked him in the back of his head. As he tumbled over, Raven concentrated her mind on the tree. "Azarath- metri- OOMPH!"  
  
A bird-a-rang almost cut her cheek as she dodged it by wrenching her head back. One strand of hair was cut. She tried running as Robin threw freeze disks at each other. She jumped and flew in the air.  
  
"Azarath. metrion. ZINTHOS!" she screamed, ordering boulders and trees to be thrown at Robin.  
  
"Ugh," he complained. He took out his retractable bo staff and threw it as if it were a spear at Raven. She easily dodged it, took control of his air- borne staff and hit him with it. It went threw his cape.  
  
"Hmph," she smirked.  
  
"Impressive, Raven, now let's see you do this!" Robin shouted at her. He took out a few of his freeze disks and continuously threw it at her. One hit her elbow, making her shout in pain and out hit her ankle, causing her to fall down on the ground. The last one he threw with out paying attention hit her foot so she was frozen to the ground. "Shit, ran out! You got lucky! Or maybe not- you ok?" he held out his hands. Raven's eyes were closed as she said a little inaudible chant.  
  
"Raven?" he kept on repeating. "What are you- agh!"  
  
"Be careful. Keep your guard up, Robin," she ordered.  
  
"Yeah," he said.  
  
They kept fighting as in kicks here and a punch there and the occasional use of weapons they owned.  
  
"Hey! You almost hit me!" Robin whined.  
  
"Isn't that the main objective?" she stated. He shrugged.  
  
For another half an hour, they battled with each other, trying to keep their emotions for each other down, but Robin couldn't resist at laughing at how Raven was in denial of everything.  
  
Before Raven kicked him in the face, he bursted out with laughter. She stepped back.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Ok." she began to punch in the stomach and he responded by slicing the surface of her skin with his bird-a-rang's. Seeing that he was reaching for his staff (that was knocked out from his hand), Raven went in for the 'kill'. He began laughing again.  
  
"Err."  
  
"Sorry, it just makes me laugh whenever I think of you trying to beat me," he said.  
  
"Trying to?" Raven cocked her head. He smirked. "I won't try, I will!" She had gotten serious and so had he. They began to slash at each other until Raven said something unexpected.  
  
"You're holding back! Fight me like I was Slade!" she yelled at him. They were now in a position where he was hitting her downward with his staff while she blocked it with an invisible shield. He stopped trying when she mentioned Slade and tried even harder.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"And why not?" she asked.  
  
"Because it's you!" he screamed at her. She shrugged.  
  
"I don't care if you hurt me; we just need to save our friends." She told him.  
  
"I still can't, I just can't replace you with Slade!" he stated. She sighed. Why couldn't he do this? He needed to prepare for the fight against Cold Stone.  
  
"Arg- just pretend I killed Starfire then," all she wanted was for him to grow stronger in mind and physically. He had become weaker once he had fallen in love.  
  
"Why you.!" He yelled at her. She was taken back a bit, but smirked.  
  
"Yes! Fight me with all you have! There we go, we can win now!" she was pleased.  
  
He went through her shield, which surprised her, and hit her shoulder. She felt an ache through her body and touched her shoulder. A warm liquid was drenching her fingers. She looked at it. Blood.  
  
"Raven. I'm sorry. I- just-" Robin began. She shook her head and smiled at him weakly.  
  
"No! It's not your fault. It was mine, I just wanted you to use your full potential," she stated.  
  
"Are you at least alright?" he asked. She nodded. She was still standing, but she felt her knees starting to give way.  
  
"Robin, what you said -"  
  
"Yeah? What about it?" he asked, reaching out, then held her hand.  
  
"KEEP FIGHTING ME!" she screamed. She held her shoulder but jumped back. "I hate Starfire! I want to beat her face in!"  
  
"What the!? Hey, you can't say that!" he said, dragging his staff on his right while running towards her. She tried to jump back again but was caught by the tree.  
  
"Hmph. Face it Robin, she's not the one for you!" Raven yelled at him. Of course she was lying about everything she said about Starfire, though. She lifted her hand and grabbed his staff. Their faces were only inches apart.  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes- face the facts," she smiled. She didn't mean to harm him. She just wanted to help him in battles.  
  
"Well, you're lying so-" he trailed off, looking into her eyes.  
  
"What?" she asked. He released his grip on the staff like she did, but was still holding it.  
  
"Why do you say those things?"  
  
"Er- because-"  
  
"Are you jealous?"  
  
"Jealous of what? Being jealous of something is idiotic!" she screamed at him. He smirked.  
  
"You are jealous!" he yelled. She blushed.  
  
"No! I just wanted you to fight all the way, so you can save Starfire!"  
  
"Oh, well, it's nice to know you care about her."  
  
"It's not like you do anyway, so one of us has to," she answered. He nodded. He was about to walk away when she asked him another statement, "I didn't mean any of those things, I just- I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok, I think we need to bandage you." he smiled. The light of the moon shined through Raven's eyes and somehow he was sort of lost in them.  
  
"Um. one more thing," she said.  
  
"Tell me," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Robin, why do you love Starfire?" she almost choked on her own words. Tears welled up. He smiled and looked at the stars.  
  
"Same reason Jerikai loved you," he said.  
  
"I see, thank you for engaging in battle with me," she expressed gratitude. He hugged her. "Robin- what are you doing?"  
  
"If anything happens to you-us during battle, I want to tell you." he began.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just wanted you to know that I love you," he simply told. She quirked her eyebrows. His face demolished inches away from her face.  
  
"As a friend!" she tried correcting.  
  
"No. more than that," he said, shaking his head. She wasn't believing what she was hearing.  
  
"Prove it," she wanted him to prove it. She didn't want it to be a big mistake again.  
  
"Okay," he said. He bent his neck down. The lips were so close to each others. Her eyes wide with fear mixed in with excitement. His left hand touched her face as her left hand slide down to wear he was gripping the bo staff. She slightly hugged him back and tip-toed to meet his limit. The stars twinkled at the site of the two. She knew it was an illusion, but maybe.  
  
It was all too real though, it was all too much. He loved her. more than a friend. he proved it too.  
  
Robin was kissing Raven. 


	23. Feeling Awkward

Chapter 23: Feeling Awkward  
  
A/N** AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!! YAY! THANKS!!  
  
Yeah, the space ship thingy is highly advanced. Just try to think of Star  
Trek Voyager. lol... ^_^;;;;  
  
And if you would like to IM, do so!! It's greYSnoWBall on AIM; email me at  
heyitschooney@cs.com and visit my site!  
... well, it's only the intro  
page finished. but that's ok. :D and talk to X-static process.  
  
There's a bunch of other Robin and Raven stories, you should go read!  
They're good! THEY'RE REALLY GOOD! BETTER THAN MINE! :D  
  
As they, or at least Robin, enjoyed a simple yet in-depth kiss, Raven pulled away the bo staff. With one free hand, he placed another hand on the untouched side. Raven lifted her hands to keep on top of his.  
  
'Why now? Why when he's with Starfire. why does he love me?' those thoughts pondered and whirled around, creating new fears. She didn't want to hurt Starfire's feelings.  
  
"Stop!" she broke off her lips and shoved off his hands. He had a confused look on his face.  
  
"What? Did I do something wrong?" he asked. She shook her head.  
  
"I can't do this, you're not with me. You're with Starfire, Robin," she stated coldly. She pushed him back and looked into his eyes. Tears secretly sprang up. Not wanting to feel emotions, she forced the bird-a- rangs to hit her arms by telepathy.  
  
"Raven," he called out, grabbing her arm as she was walking from him. She tore away. The fire flies danced around them as they stared at each other. "Just know... I love you, k?"  
  
"Don't love me. Anyone who does gets hurt in the end," she scolded. "You won," she said, she then ended the hologram and walked out leaving Robin a little discouraged.  
  
Showering, she thought about what he said. She was tender with her left shoulder.  
  
Could it just be that he though they were going to die? Maybe he was drunk. no, no he wasn't. Robin doesn't drink. She finished washing out the shampoo in her hair, soaping her body and came out quickly. After drying herself, she looked in the mirror. Everything was fogged. She suddenly reached up and wiped it, looking at her reflection. Her eyes were clear and hid what she wanted to say.  
  
'Robin wasn't thinking straight. Starfire's in trouble and he'll turn to anyone when he's not thinking. I hate it when he does this," she thought while drying her hair.  
  
Robin was at the control center having flashbacks of their moment.  
  
'What was I thinking? Sure, I could be in love with Raven, but I'm with Starfire, right now. I love her, not Raven. I love Starfire,' he thought aggressively to himself. However, he found himself bringing himself back to their one-minute moment. 'Who the hell am I trying to fool? I love Raven more then I can hold. Shit. Why am I with Starfire.? I love her, I know that. I love Raven too. a lot more.' He ended his thoughts as Raven walked in wearing the same old uniform. She was still holding her left shoulder.  
  
"You okay?" He asked her, being the responsible leader he was. She kept silent. "Raven? I'm asking as the leader."  
  
"I'm fine," she murmured. He walked over and placed a hand on her right shoulder. He was facing her back and she was looking ahead, to the stars. "What?"  
  
He pulled her closer to him. She couldn't help but fall back.  
  
"Stop," she begged.  
  
"Just know-" he began.  
  
"Just know that you love me?" she phrased. "Bull Shit. Pathetic. Unbelievable. Don't lie to me, Robin."  
  
"I'm not lying to you," he responded. She sighed.  
  
"Like I asked before, 'Why are you with Starfire', then?" she repeated.  
  
He was silent and didn't say anything. She sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.  
  
"I thought so," she said. He froze, thinking, why couldn't he respond, why couldn't he say anything while she was walking through those sliding metal doors? Why the hell couldn't he tell her the reason?  
  
Why couldn't he say, "I love you much more then you'll ever know. I'm only going out with Starfire because I only like her, like she loves me."? Or just "I love you."?  
  
Robin stood there, watching the doors she left out of. It seemed like hours. Indeed, it was hours when she left.  
  
Raven sat in the recovery and medical deck, tending to her shoulders. As she sat in one of the stalls, she took off her jump suit, only to reveal under garments. She was cautious of anyone entering in, or Robin barging through while she was only in her panties and bras. She turned the plastic curtains around her so that it was a full circle. A small metal table was standing at her right side and a small wooden stool welcomed her to sit on it. Raven winced with every piece of cotton drenched with alcohol stabbed at her injury.  
  
Even though she though about Robin, she couldn't help but go back to the memories.  
  
They kissed.  
  
She couldn't help but stab at her wounds harder. The alcohol bottle was shaking slightly.  
  
They betrayed Starfire's friendship.  
  
She growled underneath her breath, causing her to poke at her wounds more aggressive than the last time. She shuddered at the pain and thought some more. The metal table was shaking, along with the objects on the top.  
  
Raven was the one to let it happen, not Robin.  
  
By this rate, the curtain-stall she was occupying was rattling from its hooks. She realized what she was doing and stopped thinking as much. Sighing to herself, she relaxed her back to let herself slouch. After calming herself, she continued to clean the wound.  
  
Raven bandaging her shoulder, she slipped her costume back on and checked on the rest of her friends and team mates. After doing so she went to eat.  
  
She sat by the window, looking at the stars passing by so quickly. She blinked several times just to not get carried away. While she was picking at her food, Robin came in. Things just became a little more awkward.  
"Oh, I didn't mean to bother you. I'll leave," Robin said, turning on his heels.  
  
"It doesn't matter," she retorted, still staring out the circular window with a fork in her mouth. She quickly removed it to pick up another piece of Macaroni and Cheese. He shrugged and sat at the same table as her. She turned her attention to him and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say to sit in front of me."  
  
"I just want to talk," Robin began. She shrugged.  
  
"Alright, but it's going to be tough for you to get anything out of me," Raven seethed. They sat there, feeling awkward for several minutes in the state of silence.  
  
"Er-"  
  
"What?" Raven asked. She placed her plate in the dish-washer and sat back down. "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"About earlier," he began. She sighed and stood up. "Wait! Don't leave."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just sit down," he commanded as the leader. She rolled her eyes and sat in the chair.  
  
"So, any answers? Yet?" Raven quizzed with her hood up.  
  
"The reason I'm with Starfire is because- I love her- but, I'm quite sure you know I love you more, right?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," she mumbled, looking away.  
  
"So you do know," he smirked.  
  
"Just go on," Raven responded, blushing furiously.  
  
"I love Starfire; it's just that, I'm ready to be with her and everything but having you dead, I used her as something to hold onto you someone to love," he answered.  
  
"Using her as a last resort?" Raven asked, offended.  
  
"Sort of, but I love her, don't get me wrong," Robin said.  
  
"Too late. Why did you do something like that? I thought you only turned to her while I was dead was because you two finally admitted that you loved each other," Raven pressed against his thoughts. "Starfire is my friend, Robin."  
  
"I know," he grimaced, hanging his head.  
  
"But you can stay with her if you want to," she said, getting up. "It's your choice." With those words still echoing in his head, she walked out of the door. Now it was his turn to watch the stars.  
  
Several hours later, Raven ran through the mechanical sliding doors to Robin.  
  
"Robin, come with me quickly," she requested. He nodded as they looked at the computer. "We're at our first destination."  
  
"Alright, let's land," he said. She nodded and set their space-ship down. After checking the conditions of the air, they found out the air was safe to breathe. Stepping out, they realized it was a some what of a small planet. It was dry and arid. Raven looked up and noticed two suns.  
  
"How can anything live here?" Robin asked. Raven shrugged.  
  
"I can't sense any life forms here," Raven said.  
  
"We'll just fly over the land, if you sense anything, we'll stop and look," he told. She nodded.  
  
For several hours, they searched. Raven formed a head ache from concentrating on the land so much, but didn't complain.  
  
"Do you feel anything?" Robin interrogated. She shook her head. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Then we'll go for the next planet."  
  
After one week of seeking for Cold-Stone through space, they grew tired and mostly avoided each other. Sometimes they would accidentally find each other, eating in the same room or bumping each other through the halls.  
  
Raven trained constantly while Robin did as well. He, however, only trained right after she got out. The telekinetic had seized the time to heal her wounds with the help of medicine and her empathy powers.  
  
Another two weeks had passed and Robin grew agitated.  
  
"Why aren't we there yet?! They're going to die!" Robin yelled to himself. He didn't know that Raven was standing right behind him.  
  
"We'll be there; I can feel the presence of the planet coming forth," Raven whispered. She had spent much of her free time meditating. "And they won't die."  
  
"Yea," he finally agreed.  
  
"As soon as we get the antidote, we'll give it to them," She stated.  
  
"And we'll be able to beat Slade, once and for all. He's been hard to take a hold of," Robin said. Raven nodded. For two days, that was the only interaction they had with each other, dismissing the fact that they bump into each other while turning corners, or training with each other.  
  
As soon as the third day of little speaking, they came across each other on the main deck. The computer sent a message to them.  
  
"Three Weeks left!?" Robin cried out. "When we get there, it will mean that we'll only have three and a half weeks left. It could take us forever to find him!"  
  
"Hold on," Raven muttered. He looked at her, not knowing what she meant. She placed her hands on the outer covering of the computer and shouted, "AZARATH, METRION, ZINTHOS!!!!!" She remembered the first time she had done this, with Cyborg's car, months ago, almost a year. Finishing those words, the ship rocketed ahead. Robin fell back wards and slid to the back.  
  
"Ow," the boy wonder murmured. He steadily got up and hung onto the nearest rooted object.  
  
"2 weeks left," Raven interpreted, after reading the screen on the computer.  
  
"That's good! Let's keep it up!" Robin rejoiced. Raven nodded and repeated a chant.  
  
After a while, Raven's head started to spin. Everything became dizzy to her. She couldn't take it anymore. The room tilted this way and that. A screeching noise came into her ear. Without hesitation, she picked up her hands and fell backwards. The ship suddenly halted and Robin came flying forward.  
  
He sat there rubbing his head but caught a glimpse of Raven. She laid on the floor unconscious, her hands relaxed and her heart pumping at a normal rate. Robin picked her up and carried her to the Medical Deck.  
  
Hours later, he waited for her to wake up. He paced across the room and left water by her bedside. As he watched through the cylinder glass, a cough was heard in the back ground. He turned to see Raven getting up.  
  
"I have to continue," she stated.  
  
"No, one week left till we get there is good enough. Just rest," he demanded.  
  
"I can do it," she repeated.  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Stay."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Just stay!" he kept on commanding. "You need your rest to help fight!"  
  
"I can still fight even if I speed the rocket ahead, so let me go," Raven bit back. He kept blocking her way out the door. "Just let me through, Robin."  
  
"Not if you're going to keep the speed up," he said clearly.  
  
"I'm not; I'm just going to my room. Now let me through," she insisted. Robin looked at the seriousness of her face and let her pass.  
  
"Ok," he muttered.  
  
"Thanks," Raven said and ran past him.  
  
"Your welcome, I guess," Robin said after she ran out.  
  
Just moments later, Raven retreated to her room. She sighed once more and thought. 'Was it my imagination, or, did my dream come back?' 


	24. Destination

Chapter 24: Destination  
  
A/N** THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!! I LOVE YOU ALL! THANK YOU!  
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK  
YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK  
YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK  
YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  
  
AND REMEMBER! RAVEN ROBIN FOREVER!! :D  
  
Raven looked out the window to watch the stars were warping by. She thought to herself for awhile.  
  
'How did that dream come back? I thought I already past it when I was being taken over by Jinx.' After a few hours of coming up with possible theories, Raven put her head on the desk. She closed her eyes and slept in the chair, trying to go back to it. Fortunately for her sake, she did.  
  
Just like before. Everything around her was dark. Robin had been lying on the floor, dead as he was. After swearing to herself, she ran after the hooded figure and grabbed onto her. Raven flipped her around to find out, once again, that the one who killed Robin was her.  
  
The dream ended there as it always did. She rubbed her temples from exhaustion and sat up. Thinking like she always did, she phased through the door.  
  
Raven made her way to the main deck, noticing Robin was there.  
  
"Hey," he greeted. She just looked at him and nodded. "Are you ok?" she nodded again. Raven quickly changed the subject.  
  
"We're almost there. Don't worry so much. We'll beat Slade," Raven assured once more, noticing that he wore a mask of worry.  
  
"Yea," he said. They stood there in silence for as long as Robin could take it. "Can you find as much information on the planet we're going to land on, as you can, Raven?"  
  
"Sure," she dragged out.  
  
"Ok!" he exclaimed. "We can do this!" Raven only ignored his rants as she printed out the landscape summary, the people, their customs and religion and the planets weather and temperature conditions.  
  
"Here," Raven retorted, holding out the papers.  
  
"Thanks," the Boy Wonder publicized. She looked over it with him as he scanned it. He muttered to himself, "No religion. shape shifters- damn, it's gonna be hard to find him; the air is oxygen, that's good; .ok this is weird."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They don't have any customs," he said, "How will we know if we're going to upset them? Read their minds?" he glanced back at Raven who was raising her eyebrows. "Oh right, you can read minds too."  
  
"Yeah," she trailed off.  
  
"The landscape," he reviewed, "is all flat and barren. Tornadoes are really common. Since we live in a city, where there isn't any tornadoes, aside form the super natural powers that our villains have. we should be careful."  
  
"I'll be fine," she assured. He placed a hand on her shoulder and just stared at her. Raven felt uneasy but relived when the computer received a new alert.  
  
"New message, new message," it repeated. Robin took his eyes off of Raven and headed towards the screen.  
  
"Open message," he instructed.  
  
"We are now at Honemix," the computer said, following Robin's orders. It pronounced the x's as a 'sh'. "Preparing to land on Honemix."  
  
"The planet we're about to arrive at is called Honemix?" Robin asked. Raven nodded her head. "I guess I was so busy looking at the info for the planet," he complained, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"Let's go," the telekinetic declared, placing her hood over her head.  
  
"Right."  
  
After drinking a cup of water, Robin headed out the door with Raven. When they stepped off, al the people of the planet looked at them then stared at the sky.  
  
"What are they. doing?" he quizzed. Raven shrugged.  
  
The people were dressed in cloaks, with each a band of metal around their head, across the forehead, each a different color.  
  
"Er- excuse me," Robin affirmed. The looked from the sky and looked back at him. "Um- what are you doing?"  
  
"Waiting," one said.  
  
"-for," another with a silver band followed.  
  
"-the-"  
  
"-black-"  
  
"-wind," the last finished. Raven and Robin looked at each other.  
  
"Have you-" Raven begun. They suddenly twitched and while emitting a white glow, they transformed into unfamiliar faces, animals or things. The Honemixans looked back at the sky.  
  
"It's."  
  
"-Coming-" they expressed, forcing a smile. They looked back at the two.  
  
"You-"  
  
"-Should-"  
  
"-Go-"  
  
"-Now," Another three said. They started running and all stopped. Raven looked around her. They all ran to form a complete circle. Even the ones who shaped into rocks transformed into something with legs.  
  
Before one completely changed back into a human after turning into a rock, Raven grabbed it.  
  
"Have you seen a man by the name of Cold Stone?" she demanded. It shook its head. "Well do you know anyone with a stone jewel that could turn people into stone!?" It nodded. "Where?"  
  
"Northern-," it stopped.  
  
"Complete your sentences," she yelled. She was getting irritated with the way the spoke.  
  
"Hemisphere," it finished.  
  
"Alright, go finish your- circle," Robin said. It nodded and ran to connect the ring. The barren land shot up in the following design of the circle in front of them. They then were swallowed whole.  
  
"Where'd they go?" Robin asked.  
  
"To their actual home. It's under ground," she informed.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"They built their homes underground," she explained slowly.  
  
"Oh," he let out.  
  
"Let's go to the Northern Hemisphere," Raven told him. He nodded as they got back into their ship. As they traveled from hemisphere to other hemisphere Raven brought up the subject of Starfire.  
  
"Robin, promise me one thing."  
  
"And what would that be?" he smirked.  
  
"Stay with Starfire-" she was interjected.  
  
"Preparing to land," the computer said.  
  
"Tell me later! Let's go find him!" He urged, while pulling her wrist.  
  
"Sure," she said. She looked back the space craft. 'Two weeks left,' was all she thought while Robin pulled her to the middle area.  
  
"Ok," he declared. They stood there in silence. "Raven?"  
  
"Yeah?" she retorted back.  
  
"Um- how do we go down?"  
  
"We don't have that kind of power," she explained.  
  
"We have to wait for them to come up?"  
  
"Yeah," she said again. Just as before, the sand shot up and as it flittered down softly. 'He's finally here,' Raven thought.  
  
A cloaked figure was shadowed. A stone at the end of the chain was swinging while dust cleared.  
  
"I've been waiting," he said.  
  
"You? We were standing here for an hour at least," Robin snapped at. The man smiled.  
  
"Have you come here to kill me and save your friends?"  
  
"What do you-" Robin began, being overwhelmed with anger. Raven cut him off.  
  
"Yes," she sneered.  
  
"Come get me, if you may," Cold Stone answered. Disappearing underground, Raven followed by teleportation. She quickly grabbed onto Robin.  
  
"So this is where they live," Robin admired. The ceiling, floor and walls were made of polished gray marble. On the floor were black and white rugs made of the finest silk and tassels were carefully spread out evenly. Raven glided over it as Robin walked by her.  
  
"Be careful with the way you walk. If you can't tell, they like everything to be neat. They don't like messes or trouble," she examined. He nodded.  
  
"Raven?" He began asking.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can't you use your powers to find Cold Stone?" Robin quizzed. She shrugged.  
  
"I guess so," she answered. She looked around and placed a hand on the wall. All she saw was darkness, and felt shivering. That person who she just contacted with wasn't him. After touching different objects, she couldn't find him. Raven stared at Robin, "It's better if we just search for him by foot. I'm not getting any signals from him."  
  
Robin agreed and so they went forth, looking for Cold Stone. Throughout their little search, they were silent, knowing what to say to each other, but hadn't grown enough courage to say. Once in a while they'd look at each other.  
  
"Think we'll beat him? .Maybe not," Robin tried to lighten the mood. Raven stopped while she was in front of him. He stopped behind when suddenly she spun around. She raised an eyebrow but then relaxed her face. She raised her hand as if to point something out. Robin looked at her face intently, wanting to know what she was going to say next. Another few seconds, her palm straightened out and his face was so close to hers. He could clearly breathe in her scent but it didn't seem right.  
  
"Robin," she whispered. He stopped before embracing her. She shook her head and said, "No."  
  
He now figured that he was in love with Raven, not Starfire. He wanted to hold Raven. It wasn't possible though, Raven wanted him to stay with Starfire. The Tamaran was her friend and she knew how much Starfire was in love with Robin. Raven didn't want to hurt her feelings so she let her go date Robin. even thought it was killing Raven slowly from the inside. Robin changed his mind to be with Starfire. Maybe he should've been with Raven from the first day he liked. from the first day she loved him. He would've done anything for her, just for. No one else. Only Raven. Robin would've done anything just to hold Raven, to look truthfully into her eyes and not lie about how he feels about her. He would've done anything to just be with her.  
  
The thoughts were cut short when he noticed they were still standing still and looking at each other. Her position was still, her hand was still raised. Robin smiled when he noticed she was blushing. But his smile slowly faded away to a frown.  
  
"Raven? Are you ok? Why is you hand like that? Rave-" He was interrupted by a slap on his face. Her palm pressed his nose flat and her fingers poked his eyes. Her hands slid off. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"  
  
"Our job is to find Cold Stone. Let's go now. and please shut up," she told. He shuddered and kept quiet.  
  
"Sorry," he apologized.  
  
"Whatever," she said. Within minutes after saying that, they finally encountered their enemy.  
  
"Hmm. Looks like you finally found me."  
  
A/N** I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT! SORRY FOR THE WAIT! SORRY! THANKS THOUGH! And if you don't understand the part where she was touching the walls to find Cold Stone, just read my other fic, Hold My Hand. If you want though! KK! Well, see you soon! 


	25. Slowly, Painfully

Chapter 25: Slowly, Painfully  
  
A/N** THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!! WHOO HOO! THANKS!! YEAH! :D..  
  
If you were wondering why every time they train that the temperature changes dramatically, it's because if the weather does that, you can get a  
flu and stuff like that.. er. hope you guys understand!  
  
THANKS FOR READING AND FOR THE REVIEWS!  
  
"What? Never seen a guy with a jewel that can turn everything it touches into stone?" Cold Stone pouted. Raven and Robin stared with eyebrows raised.  
  
"I guess you're the sarcastic type," Robin muttered. Raven elbowed him lightly, trying to keep him quiet. "Ow! What?"  
  
"Quiet. Don't get so cocky," Raven scolded.  
  
"Don't worry I won't. But what about him? We haven't had a sarcastic enemy in awhile. Well, except Jinx, but she doesn't count that muc-"  
  
"Shut up." Raven began an argument.  
  
"Don't you thi-"  
  
"We have to fight," she bit.  
  
"OK, OK," he finally agreed.  
  
"Finally done bickering, eh? This is boring, see if you can catch me. It'll be fun, right?" Cold Stone ended.  
  
"What?! HEY!" Robin yelled, going after him. Raven flew after him, touching the ground to see where he was.  
  
"Damn it," she muttered. 'He blocked me out of his brain. no one ever did that before, except Robin.' She blushed at the thought of him but sped ahead right behind him.  
  
"I'm turning left at the end of this hallway-you go right! We'll both split up to look for him, ok?" Robin ordered. She just nodded. Up ahead a shadow was meddling with something that looked like a necklace and although Raven couldn't see much, she knew that Cold Stone was lurking around the corner. He was ready to strike and take his prizes to Slade.  
  
"Watch out!" Raven warned from behind. He looked behind and saw her speeding up to him.  
  
"Huh?" he said to himself, unsure of what she meant. With another second, Raven tackled him down. She brought him down with such force that they skidding to the end of the hall. The rugs were bundled up under them. At the same moment that Raven tackled Robin down, Cold Stone jumped at them, trying to hit them with the necklace. However, he went over them as they were sliding under him.  
  
"Hmp," Cold Stone muttered. "Avoiding me, I see. Hello?" he noticed he was being ignored. Taking the advantage, he crept towards them.  
  
Raven was over Robin. His head was between her hands. Their eyes were staring into each other, faces only inches apart. Blushes spread across both their cheeks. Even if Raven's body was just next to Robin's, it was still sudden to be in that position. Her knees were to the left side of his body, helping her hands to support her body weight. He was flat on his back, knees slightly bent into the air. Purple hair was cascading past her cheek, framing her gorgeous features. Robin slowly lifted his hands to hold her face in his palms.  
  
Putting his palm to her cheek, she suddenly pulled away. Robin was puzzled. As he looked up, he saw that they were still staring at each other. Lost in their own little worlds, Cold Stone inched towards them. Even for Raven, she couldn't sense him. Robin however, looked up and noticed that their enemy was skulking to try to defeat them. He wrapped his arms around Raven's waist and pulled her down so their body was pressed with each other.  
  
"Robin! Get your-" Raven started to scold. He ignored her as he rolled around to dodge Cold Stone's jewel and jumped up to face their foe. Quickly, Raven got up as well, finding that Robin grabbed her hand and ran. Following the leader, she let go and flew, grabbing his hands and dragged him in the air. "We have to maintain focus. We're letting our personal lives interfere with this fight." He nodded.  
  
"Get us to the surface, maybe the tornadoes can help distract him," Robin ordered. Raven gave a slight nod and hurried. Cold Stone was too close for comfort. When she found a way to get to the outside, she was half way out of the opening when Robin slid from her grasp. The telekinetic didn't really notice until she was above the underground tunnels.  
  
"What? Robin?" she called out.  
  
Robin's hands were slipping away from Raven's hands. He felt someone pull on his legs and realized that the only one after them was Cold Stone. With a yank from him, Robin landed on the ground with a thud.  
  
Regaining composure, Robin looked up and faced a mirror image of him. It copied everything he did. Without hesitation, he reached up to poke it, as did the other image. When he felt that it wasn't a mirror image and it was a shape shifter, his second instinct was to yell, but being the hero he is, the first instinct took over as he punched Cold Stone down to the ground.  
  
He transformed back into himself again, still sitting as Robin stood over him, wiping his hands on his cape.  
  
"Hmph, you're stronger than Slade said," Cold Stone stated.  
  
"Cold Stone. were you from here?" Robin asked, grabbing Cold Stone's collar.  
  
"Yes and this was where the jewel originated from," he replied. Taking his chance, he pulled the necklace form the box once more and tried to touch Robin's skin, but failed and contacted it with his cape, turning only that to stone.  
  
"Huh?" Robin gasped, as the cape dragged and choked him to the ground.  
  
"Next time I won't miss, but first I have to take down the stronger one," he told Robin. Cold Stone transformed into Robin again and smiled at him on the ground. Robin tried getting up as he traveled to the surface.  
  
"Damn it," was the last thing the Boy Wonder whispered before finding a way to either slip from his cape or break it.  
  
As he slip through the sand to find Raven standing there, meditating, searching for Robin with her mind.  
  
"Hey Raven?"  
  
"Robin?" she called to him. He jogged towards her and smiled at her. Raven just blushed and questioned him. "Where have you been?" she quizzed, trudging to their ship back home.  
  
"I defeated him! We don't have to train up there anymore," he smiled, pointing to the space ship.  
  
"How did you do it? You didn't kill him did you?" Raven asked. Even if she was a half demon, she didn't like to kill, or having anyone else murdered and be killed.  
  
"No! I simply beat him up and turned him into stone. That's not killing is it?" he stated.  
  
"I guess not. Fine, let's at least give them the antidote then," Raven ordered.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"What do you-" She was suddenly interrupted when Robin hugged her. He cradled her in his arms, resting his head on her shoulders. "Robin, stop it!"  
  
"I want you to know that I love you. Why do would I want to stay with Starfire when I have you?" he said some wrong things in the past, but this triggered something in Raven's mind.  
  
"You aren't Robin! Get your hands off of me," Raven growled. She turned around and slapped him. Cold Stone turned back into himself.  
  
"Smart girl," he said, emphasizing 'girl'. He leaned down and kissed her. Expecting a slap, he received one.  
  
"Don't try that on girls who hate you," Raven grumbled.  
  
"I know you hate me. But I just took a portion of your powers," he grinned. "And now, I think you belong to me. The laws here say that whoever shares the powers is owned by the one who took the powers in the first place is the master. So try anything funny I can crush you dear boy's bones with my mind."  
  
"You did take my powers didn't you, didn't you? Bastard," Raven muttered, feeling a bit empty after having her powers being drained out. She looked up to see his face so close to hers. His eyes were staring into hers. "Didn't you ever hear the saying? Never look a raven in the eyes; it could steal your soul and fly off with it." She spat into his face and punched him in the stomach and tried flying. It was to no avail, since they both shared the same powers equally. He grabbed her with his mind dragged her back to him.  
  
"If I stared into your eyes, and if you flew away with my soul, then I would be quite please now, wouldn't I? You're quite pretty and I found myself, just like your Robin, to form. a liking to your feistiness," he quietly explained, whispering into her ears.  
  
"But if I'm angered even by your presence, I could torture you," she decided.  
  
"Yes, I see," he huffed a little and then looked up to see the calm sands being disturbed. "He's here. Remember my sweet; two ravens can take two souls. And then we can rule the universe together, hm?" Raven didn't look him as he transformed into her.  
  
The impersonator stood rooted next to the real thing.  
  
"Raven? Which one of you is Raven?" Robin asked.  
  
"I'm Raven," they both said in unison. They then glared at each other. One after another they begged Robin to believe that it was her.  
  
"You don't remember the time when Jerikai came after you for me?" one of the two Ravens stated.  
  
"What about the time when you were on Slade's side, just to defeat him?"  
  
"How about the time when I gained my new powers, you were there for me weren't you?" the bickering went on.  
  
"Robin, I want you to stay with Starfire. I don't care if I die, just stay with her."  
  
"Raven?" Robin was confused but chose one, to his surprise it was the real Raven.  
  
"No, I'm the real RAVEN!" a voice shouted. He ran towards Robin stabbing him in the stomach. Raven ran down to Robin and held him in her arms. Blood spilled into her hands. With anger surging through her eyes, she ran towards Cold Stone and grabbed his shoulders, spinning him around. Punching him in the stomach, she quietly grabbed the necklace before being thrown back several feet.  
  
"Nuh-uh-uh. Remember, you belong to me," he stated. Robin, aware of what was going on, trudged towards Raven and noticed she was holding the necklace, released her grasp on it and took it. Robin kneeled over from the loss of blood and stared at Cold Stone. The necklace in the glass box was under him. He pretended to pass out with his head next to Ravens. He had to keep himself from getting up and trying to defeat Cold Stone as he picked her up by the hair.  
  
"Ugh." Raven groaned. She was wide awake and felt as if ever hair would be rooted up from its scalp. Cold Stone was dangling her from her hair. Raven's feet were a good two feet above the ground. Shaking her violently, she bit her lip from screaming or saying anything that would raise his anger.  
  
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Hm, oh well. Now to tell you the truth, I'm gonna turn you into stone right now," he said. Robin looked at him with one eye, almost too weak to do anything. Raven smirked as he searched for it. He frowned and looked up at her. "What'd you do with it?"  
  
Raven only looked at him with a smirk. Angry with her, he threw her up and then kicked her in the stomach several feet. As he stalked towards her, Robin grabbed his foot and looked up to meet eye to eye with him. Robin looked back at Raven who was crunched up.  
  
"Trying to interfere, little boy?" Cold Stone questioned. "Then I'll have to kill you. Shame, isn't it?" He placed his foot lightly on Robin's neck. "With a step, I could easily break your neck." Forcing a heavier step, Robin couldn't help but groan. He looked up to see a white gold necklace hanging out of Cold Stone's shirt. It was shaped into a hexagon and had a glass symbol on it. Something familiar. Something like an S.  
  
"Slade," Robin muttered.  
  
"What? Oh, the necklace? This?" he asked, twirling it in his fingers. "It doesn't stand for Slade. It's the letter of my first name. Wonderful isn't it? Although. Slade did make it for me. It was reward to go after you and to bring you back alive. My actual name is Syntaxi."  
  
"Syntaxi. nice name- I think. Damn it," Robin groaned as the knife in his stomach shot pain through his body. He knew not to remove the knife or he could bleed more. The knife could be the object from blocking the blood to the outside of his wounds. Knowing that he would pass out soon, he kept his hold on Cold Stone's leg and pressed the jewel that turned objects to stone onto him.  
  
"What?!" he yelled. He smirked. He pointed to his necklace. "This keeps me from turning to stone." He accidentally slipped out, not even noticing his mistake. He pointed to his necklace.  
  
"Don't be so sure," Robin fought back. Ripping the necklace from Cold Stone's body.  
  
"Bastard. You can't turn me into sto-" he stopped after he tried to reach Robin, trying to clutch at his throat. Robin backed away from the hands and tried to crawl towards Raven with the two stones. He collapsed and saw her walk slowly towards him. As she reached him, she knelt down by his side and pulled out the knife. She started to chant as he slowly healed up. Her empathy powers stole most of her energy. Still unconscious, Raven dragged him to the near by space ship. After placing him in the medical room, she also collapsed on the floor.  
  
Several hours later, Robin woke up, refreshed but dirty. The necklaces were in a glass container. Stepping down, he realized he almost squished Raven's hand.  
  
"Raven?" He nudged. Noting that she was passed out, he lifted her fragile body into a bed. Turning his back, he picked up the glass containers with the jewels and went to do research on how to turn his friends back into flesh.  
  
Raven groaned as she sat up in bed. She seemed a little confused.  
  
"You alright?" Robin asked. She jumped at his voice.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I'm being serious. It's been a week," he asked. She shrugged. During that week, he made a choice between Raven and Starfire.  
  
"Yea, I guess," she replied. He took her hand but she pulled away. Everything went unexpectedly rather bitter sweet after that.  
  
"Raven," he said. She stared at the wall across the room, not showing any emotions. "Don't be like this, please. Just let me tell you-"  
  
"You're with Starfire. Stay with her. Don't break her heart," she scolded. She got out of bed and walked through the automatic door.  
  
"Wait!" he ran out after her and cornered her against the wall. "It might seem that I'm in love with Starfire. I'm not. OK?"  
  
"Yes, you are. That's why you must stay with her," Raven stated. He sighed.  
  
"Please? Will you listen to me?" he pleaded.  
  
"No, I have to find a cure for Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg. Just stay out of the way," she commanded. She tried to walk out but she found head to be in between Robin's strong arms.  
  
"I know it seems that I'm in love with Starfire. I found out that I was along time ago, but now I'm not. That was only a little crush. I never was in love with anybody. I didn't understand it. But then, after you came, I found that you were gothic," Robin began his speech, unprepared. Raven furrowed her eyebrows at the word 'gothic'.  
  
"You wanted to stay away from everybody. That's why I always chose to stay by your side, whenever, wherever. I just wanted to know you better. After Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth came, and I found about Slade, all I ever did was try to find out more about him. And after the incident when I became his apprentice, Starfire said she was the only one to still trust me. I believed her, I still do. That's why I loved her. She's funny, naïve and innocent, smart and caring. But compared to you, she's dimmed out. After I found out about Slade, I was so obsessed with Slade that I put the team in the way. I put Starfire in the way which hurt me. Even worse, I put you in the way. It was killing me when you couldn't trust me anymore.  
  
"I care about you, Raven. Please don't make this any harder for us," he ended his statement. He cupped his hands around her face and gently pulled her in.  
  
"Robin," she said, pushing away. "Our friends are about to die." Raven took the container out of his pocket and headed towards the lab.  
  
In an attempt to make Raven love him, he failed. He watched her as she headed down the hall.  
  
In the lab, she found that if she mixed water and the grounded up white gold necklace together and put in a sample of their blood each in a vile. Getting their blood samples from the drawer, she mixed it in. Raven used her powers to put her team mates into capsules, where on the sides, where she would place the vile. As she was finished, she pressed the button to activate it. Robin was standing next to her, a little disappointed.  
  
"Robin, stay with Starfire, don't hurt her," Raven ordered, as her friends slowly became flesh. He slowly nodded. As his heading was showing signs of agreeing, Raven was being slowly, painfully, shattered into one billion pieces on the inside. 


	26. Until When

Chapter 26: Until When  
  
A/N** AGH! AGH!! SORRY!!!!!!!! I WAS SUPPOSED TO UPDATE THIS ON SATURDAY  
JANUARY 24 OR SUNDAY 25!!!! I'M SO SORRY!!!!!  
THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS BY THE WAY!!!!! LOVE YOUSE!  
  
After a few days of transforming all the members back into flesh, Raven and Robin set their space ship to earth. Three-fourths of the way there, Cyborg and Beastboy were done, and it was only hours until Starfire would be done.  
  
Robin stared at Raven for a while until she became annoyed with his piercing eyes.  
  
"Raven?" he asked for her attention.  
  
"What?" she wanted to know what exactly was going through his mind.  
  
"Are you serious about me staying with Starfire?" Robin quizzed. Raven let out an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes.  
  
"Yes. I'm her friend, and she's my friend. And since it's obvious that she cares about you, just stay with her. If you don't-"  
  
"Then she'll be hurt, I know. You said that already, a lot. But what about you? After all those times that you confessed that you love me?" he kept on pushing her buttons. She blushed but suppressed her feelings and regained her emotions.  
  
"Me? The only reason why I said 'I love you' or other pathetic things like that was because it was the spur of the moment," showing no emotions was what she was best at. She could fool anybody with her facial expression. Anybody could believe Raven. Robin believed her and felt sheepish after confessing all those feelings toward her.  
  
Minutes flew by, no one disturbed by anyone's presence. As Cyborg's and Beastboy's capsule door opened first, Robin greeted them. Raven only stayed in the back, smirking at them in a welcome-back manner.  
  
"Whoa! How'd we get stuck out in space?" Cyborg asked as he looked out the window.  
  
"Dude, let go of me," Beastboy yawned. They were found that they were still in the same position as when they were turned into stone. "Man, what happened?" Beastboy was quick to jump out of the Cyborg's arms and stretched.  
  
"Yeah, the last thing I remember was fighting Cold Stone in the tower- wait," Cyborg stopped to think. "Don't we have to get him? He works for Slade after all. What happened? C'mon, I need to know the play by play."  
  
"That sounds familiar," Beastboy muttered. He then remembered that was what Cyborg said was when he came back flying from half-way to Gotham city when they were fighting the HIVE's.  
  
Robin just grinned.  
  
"Let's just say Cold Stone got stoned himself," he replied.  
  
"Do you have to have those corny lines?" Raven asked, looking behind from the screen.  
  
"Yeah, man!" the meta-morph and the cyber kinetic agreed. Robin just shrugged. Minutes of silent went on until a beeping sound was heard.  
  
"Starfire's ready," she stated. They all looked at her and back to Starfire's capsule. As it opened, Starfire walked out and stretched.  
  
"I have experienced a horrible position to be sleeping in!" Starfire paused and looked around for minutes. "May I asked what was to happen to Cold Stone and perhaps why we are in the vast land of space?" Robin sighed and answered her. He forced himself to smile around her and complimented her in anyway possible. He tried to think of all the great things about Starfire but always trailed back to Raven.  
  
He glanced at her and noticed that she was staring out the window. Her intent eyes followed the warping stars and her hair cascading past her ears. Her perfect figure and curves made Robin want to come over to Raven instead of staying-  
  
"Dear Robin, I am glad that we are both alive! I do love you so very much, as they have pronounced on earth," Starfire interrupted his thoughts however, as she cuddled against him on the chair in the cafeteria.  
  
"It's time for Beastboy Live! Time for tofu, dudes!" Beastboy proclaimed as if he were Emeral. Cyborg ran in the kitchen angered and pushed him out of the way.  
  
"Give me that spatula; we ain't having no tofu for dinner!"  
  
"Hey! No!" . and thus the usual argument began but ended quickly as Cyborg knocked on Beastboy's head.  
  
'Just another day or two until we get back home,' Raven thought. They weren't on earth since January, and it was a month since they left. She closed and eyes and tried to keep the frustration and thoughts out of her mind. It didn't work as Starfire jolted up and slapped her palms to her cheeks.  
  
"What is the date of today, Robin?" she questioned.  
  
"Uh- February 21, why?" he wanted to know.  
  
"Oh! It has been several weeks since we have done began the ritual of dating and we must go on another one. If that is to be agreed with you?" Starfire asked, and then blushed heavily. "And it is also one week after the celebration on Valentine's. Perhaps, we shall do something together. It is a tradition on February 14 that one's you love shall spend that day together." She then trailed off, blushing even more. Starfire cuddled against Robin.  
  
"Valentine's huh?" Beastboy asked. The argument between the two ended but then aroused once more. "Who wants some tofu and vegetable hearts?" Cyborg gave a disgusted face.  
  
"Tofu hearts? Man! Ain't nobody gonna eat that shit!" Cyborg complained out loud.  
  
"This so-called-shit is better than meat!" Beastboy bit back, as an argument aroused again.  
  
"Hey guys, Raven and I just finished fighting off Cold Stone, can you guys just be quiet for once?" Robin asked as the team leader.  
  
"Dude! Then what do you want to do for Valentines Day then, huh?" Beastboy asked. Robin was caught off guard and couldn't think of anything to do.  
  
"Perhaps we shall wait until the arrival of our home, and then we shall celebrate there?" Starfire suggested. They, or most, shrugged. Raven just kept on staring out of the window. She had to clear her mind; otherwise they all could end up dead.  
  
"I'll be going. I need to meditate," she stated. She felt as if she were being ignored because they didn't respond, not even look at her- not even Robin. She shook her head from the thought and walked out to the training room. Raven typed in the code for the vacation hologram.  
  
When she entered, it was spring. The birds were chirping and the butterflies were flitting around. Grass blades were green, and surprisingly, there was a lake near by with a dock to jump off. Willow trees loomed over it as if they owned it. The Cherry blossoms were distant from the lake.  
  
"Hm," she sighed. Raven walked towards under the willow trees so that it shadowed her sensitive eyes form the fake blaring sun. She looked at the pond where the lake lead to in front of her and noticed its beauty. It was very relaxing as she began to meditate.  
  
Chants were being said over and over. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." It was repeated and finally was her center found. Raven focused on that and concentrated.  
  
One hour. Two hours. Three hours. 'New world breaking record-me being able to meditate alone for hours,' Raven thought to herself. 22 minutes passed after that thought. And being separate from her thoughts, the door was opening to reveal that Robin entered. Her back was against him plus a tree blocking his view of her.  
  
"Raven?" he asked. She didn't say anything. "Raven. I just want to talk with you."  
  
"What do you want?" Raven shut herself up again. Just like before. No one could get to her, even if she wanted them to.  
  
"Raven, look. I know you like me. I like you too. Just admit that-"  
  
"I like no one. My feelings and emotions are dangerous. Even just being too close to anybody could kill them. Just stay away Robin. Isn't Starfire waiting for you?" she asked. She didn't even turn her head around to look at him.  
  
"Don't be like this. Every time I try to talk to you, you always do this. Just open up to me once," Robin pleaded. Raven just sat there.  
  
"Stay with Starfire. She likes you," Raven tried to push him out with words. He stood his ground.  
  
"So what if she likes me? What about you? What about me? I like you," he said. He always repeated those words to her.  
  
"Don't you like her too?" she asked.  
  
"I thought I did. But now I like you," he said. Minutes passed by.  
  
"Bull."  
  
"What? What do you mean? I-" Robin tried to break through the hard mask.  
  
"Bull shit. You're lying," she said.  
  
"What about the things that happen? What about when I kissed you, when you kissed me? Or when I went by myself to save you? That was all for you," he confessed.  
  
"What about all those times with Starfire? Like when her sister came?-" she innocently asked.  
  
"I'm her friend. Why would I not try to comfort her?"  
  
"Or when you pretended to be Red X? She was the only one who broke through to you. Or when you were on Slade's side, don't you remember? She was crying. And you wanted to save her. We could tell by the look on your eyes. You wanted to save her," it was unlike to repeat old memories but she had to make her point clear.  
  
"Yeah." he trailed off and he watched her back for several minutes. Nothing was said or done and time was being wasted away.  
  
"So you don't have an answer for that?" She smirked under her hood. Robin sighed. He quietly walked towards her and sat next to her. Raven's eyes were closed but she could still make out his presence when he was around. His aura and emotions were too strong. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," he said. "Just wanted to sit next to you." This reminded Raven of the time when she actually started to like Robin a little more than a friend. He would just stay by her side without trying to say anything or doing anything.  
  
"Robin?" she began. He looked at her direction.  
  
"Not again. Raven, I hate it when you do this. Just stop," he tried.  
  
"It's the truth, just deal with it," the telekinesis said. She started all over again. "I want you to stay with Starfire so you don't end up hurting either of us. You may or may not love me- but I feel that now is not the time to be interacting with each other as couples. We should pretend as if nothing ever happened between us. Leave me alone, and you'll be fine."  
  
"How long?" Robin asked.  
  
"What? 'How long?' What do you mean 'How long?'?" Raven was staring at the Boy Wonder's face. She looked up to the sky and noticed that gray clouds were masking the face of the sun. It would soon begin to drizzle.  
  
"How long until we don't have to keep pretending anymore?! How long until I could hold you?! How long until I could kiss you?!" He yelled. At this point, Raven was blushing. She turned her head away and suddenly found the holographic fish interesting. Robin placed his hands on her shoulder. He continued, but whispered into her ear. "How long until I could hold your hand? How long until then? Huh?"  
  
She brushed his words off- or tried to. Uncomfortable, she pulled away from his tender touch. The masked boy, sure that he was in love, felt a little ting or hurt in his heart when she moved away from him. Suddenly finding the holographic fish and lake more interesting, she scooted on the edge of the slabs of rocks that outlined the part of the pond that the willow tree overlooked. The rock was several feet above the lake so her legs dangled off of the cliff of the slab. With nothing to do she stared at the reflection of herself in the water. She kept on thinking.  
  
"I'm sure I won't be with you for along time. Maybe never. You'll just have to learn to love Starfire," she ended with a sudden silence. He sat next to her and stared at their reflection with her. He couldn't tell what she was thinking or what she would say next. "Umm," she began.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"This slab can't hold the both of us-" she said as she floated up. Robin was about to fall in. He grabbed her wrist by instinct as the rock slide along the soil and into the water. It splashed and sank to the bottom. "Ah!" she screamed for a short time.  
  
Water filled her mouth as she was heaved into the pond part by Robin. Since he pulled her down, they landed next to each other. When she got up, she started to cough out the water. When Raven looked at Robin a lily pad was resting on his head and a frog was caught in his mouth. He looked at her with a sort-of-smile. He tried to grin, but it only made his mouth expand.  
  
She tried to suppress a giggle but it escaped from her lips. She soon broke out into a laugh from the site of the Boy Wonder. He pulled the frog out of his mouth, turned his head to the land and spit out into the grass.  
  
It felt so enlightening to laugh once in awhile. Nothing really made her laugh. The tree branches were swaying and the water started rippling in random places due to her happiness. They looked up and around and noticed that it was a pretty site to look at. He smiled at her while she blushed. She wanted to laugh more, but if she did, her emotions would get out of control.  
  
"Ahem," she coughed out. She stood up and squeezed the water out of her cloak. "I should get going then."  
  
"Why? I really enjoyed it when you were with me. I know I made you laugh too. C'mon Raven. Please stay," he said.  
  
"This is ridiculous. I-I really should be meditating," Raven stuttered. From being giddy and happy, she turned into a monotone person. "Besides, we have to check on the others."  
  
"They're probably still fighting and Starfire's probably writing in her diary," he said.  
  
"Let's go," she commanded. He sighed and got up but pulled back down by the resisting lily pad.  
  
"It seems it doesn't want to get off of my head," he said, trying to pull it off.  
  
"Stop fooling around," she said.  
  
"I'm not," he said. The roots of the lily pad were tangled in his short hair. Raven tried to levitate it off, but she didn't know where it was stuck. When he tried to pull it off Robin groaned. "That hurt."  
  
"Stop acting like a baby. Hold still. Bend your head down. I want to get out of here, I should be meditating."  
  
"Ok, geez," He lowered his head as she bent over him to untangle the roots. He was still sitting in the water as the longest roots were deep into the soil of the pond. The shortest were in his hair. Raven's knees were up to the water as she bent over.  
  
She shifted from one foot to the other. Her cloak was getting her hot so rather than just wearing it, she threw it on the land.  
  
"Here. This is too time consuming to do," Raven said. She gave up but instead, she broke the longest root. "Figure it out yourself." She grabbed her cloak and started to walk off.  
  
"Wait! I can't get this out. It would be embarrassing to go out like this, C'mon, help," Robin pleaded. He stood up and walked to under the willow tree. She shrugged and kneeled behind him. Little by little, she took root by root. "Thanks!"  
  
"No problem," she said. After more minutes, she got them all out and picked out the little strands in his hair. "There. All done. Now can I go?"  
  
"Sure, I guess," he said. He was a little disappointed but still satisfied with their moment. He stood up and walked with her out the door.  
  
When they walked out, they heard a shrill scream and ran out.  
  
"We are finally to arrive to home!" Starfire jumped around in joy.  
  
"Yeah! Woohoo!" Beastboy and Cyborg cheered as Cyborg piloted the space ship.  
  
"We shall celebrate for the arrival of earth at our home. We shall ahem... 'boogie' for the day of the Saint Valentines," she said. Cyborg and Beastboy snickered but Robin smacked them on the head. "I was also hoping for one day together. another preparation of a date. Robin? Do you think well of it, Robin?"  
  
"That's great," Robin smiled. He put his arms around Starfire's shoulders. A sudden string of guilt tightened in his chest. He remembered what Raven told him and just looked at her. She looked at him and walked away with no smile. She walked away with tears.  
  
A/N** AIIIEEE!!!! SORRY! SORRY!!! FOR THE WAIT!!! FINALS AND SCHOOL AND A VIRUS CAME UP AND EVERYTHING! BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!! THANK  
YOU MUCH!! WITH OUT YOU I WOULDN'T BE THIS FAR!!! THANKS!! 


	27. To the Amusement Park Again

Chapter 27: To the Amusement Park Again  
  
a/n** Ahehehe... FINALLY UPDATING!! YESH!!! THANKS FOR WAITING! Uhh.. I'll  
make this chapter longer than the rest since you guys waited so long!  
Hahah..  
  
As the team's space rocket landed smoothly, they all jumped off and took a taxi and a ferry home. When they reached home it was near midnight, so they all decided to sleep but Raven stayed up as usual and sat on the rooftop, meditating but for strange reasons, she couldn't. And, unexpectedly, Robin had stayed up to.  
  
"Hey," he said, sitting himself next to her. Raven turned her head to look at him and looked back to the city. "That was some strange trip, right?"  
  
She just shrugged.  
  
"With all the stone turning and power taking away kisses," Robin tried to get her to talk. She shrugged again.  
  
"I'll be going to sleep now, if you don't mind," she said.  
  
"Wait!" Robin called out, but it was too late. She already transported to her room. He gave up for that day. Just because she wouldn't admit that she loved him. Was it because she was too shy? She already did anyways around Christmas. Was it because she was too ashamed? No, it wasn't that. Well, was it because she was too loyal?  
  
'Yeah, that's it, I guess,' he thought to himself. Robin hated to say it, but she was a loyal friend.  
  
He turned himself in for the night and woke up to the smell of food and arguing. 'Already?' He shrugged it off and showered and went downstairs.  
  
"Happy Valentines Day!" Beastboy and Cyborg celebrated. Raven sat there, drinking her tea while Starfire cheered something else.  
  
"Cheerful Day of Saint Valentines, dear Robin!" she called out. The three boys looked at her oddly and ignored her. Starfire flew up to Robin and squeezed him and handing him a present.  
  
"Uhh... what's this?" Robin asked.  
  
"Please remove the wrapping!" she smiled. He just shrugged and opened it. It was a chromed locket and when he opened the locket it had all the pictures of Starfire and Robin from all the memory full events. They were all holographs, and when she taught him how to use it, he figured which button to press when he wants to see the next picture. There were pictures with them two at the park, at the carnival, at the tower on her birthday, his birthday and when they went dancing too. He couldn't help but smile at these memories.  
  
"Whoa. Star, how'd you-"  
  
"With her planets advanced technology and with my computer skills, we made that," Cyborg informed. After several minutes of silence, Robin spoke up again.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"2," Beastboy said. But Starfire looked into his eyes.  
  
"Do you not like this?"  
  
"No- Uh- don't take it the wrong way, Star! It's awesome," Robin grinned. He tied it around his neck and looked at her which made her giddy.  
  
"Why, thank you, Robin," she smiled again. "Shall we celebrate the day of Saint Valentines?"  
  
"Sure," he said. As he got up, he caught Raven watching him but she suddenly turned her head away with a blush.  
  
"Let us all celebrate it together!" Starfire cheered.  
  
"Let's play foot ball at the park. Man, after being stuck as stone for a freakin' long time, you get kinda stiff!" Cyborg suggested.  
  
"No! Let's go clubbing! There're a bunch of girls, just waiting for this right here," Beastboy said smoothly, pointing at himself.  
  
"Foot ball!"  
  
"Girls!"  
  
"Football!"  
  
"Girls!--"  
  
"Hold it guys," Robin told them, "Since Star suggested celebrating, let's let her choose for once."  
  
"Fine," the two other boys muttered.  
  
"Umm... the clubbing of girls and the football of un-stiffening sounds marvelous... but perhaps we shall venture into the park of amusing?" Starfire said.  
  
"Oh yeah!" Beastboy and Cyborg agreed.  
  
"I dare you to go on the largest roller coaster ever!" Beastboy said to Cyborg.  
  
"Then you're coming with me!" Cyborg countered.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"What're you? Chicken?"  
  
"He could be if he wanted to," Robin laughed. Beastboy glared.  
  
"You're not helping."  
  
"Stop fighting, just go on together. You guys are annoying," Raven said, putting her book down.  
  
"Then why don't you go?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you chicken too?" Cyborg laughed.  
  
"No, I'd rather stay here and read than go on useless rides," she said.  
  
"I'll give you ten bucks," Beastboy said, slamming his money on the table.  
  
"Man, that's not enough. 30 bucks!" Cyborg grinned. Raven looked away from her book to the money. She reached out to the money.  
  
"Oh yeah! She's taking it!" they said until she placed her hand on the money and pushed it back to them.  
  
"I don't need money," she said calmly.  
  
"Raven, please let us go together so we may enjoy each other's presence," Starfire said. Raven raised an eyebrow and looked at everyone else. They seemed to be pleading her too.  
  
"Fine."  
  
When they reached the amusement park, Beastboy and Cyborg dragged Raven to the largest roller coaster and since it was a two person carriage, Raven sat alone behind them. When they rode, there were twists and turns and going faster than the one she and Robin had once rode together. On they're final twist, they quickly rode down the biggest slope.  
  
"AHHHHHHHH!!!" Beastboy and Cyborg clung to each other with tears out of their eyes. When the ride was over, Cyborg's and Beastboy's knees were shaking and they found their way to the nearest garbage to throw up in.  
  
"Pathetic," Raven said as she readjusted her cape on.  
  
"Hey! Why aren't you sick like us?" they asked her.  
  
"Because I don't scare easily," she said. She then walked off to find a bench to wait on until they were done for the day. After Beastboy and Cyborg headed to the arcade for the game playing, Raven watched couples and children playing. She sighed and closed her eyes until she heard someone sitting next to her. When she did open her eyes, she found Robin to be sitting with her. "What?"  
  
"Hey, I promised I'd win you something!" he remembered. He pulled her hand and she followed.  
  
"Right. A promise is a promise," she muttered until they reached an archery booth.  
  
"Hey there fellow folks! What can I do for you?" he said.  
  
"Can I get three bow and arrows?"  
  
"9 dollars for three then," he winked, giving them to Robin. "OK! Let's do this for real, now."  
  
Robin shot all three of the targets and was awarded the biggest and best prize there was... another Chicken for Raven.  
  
"Yay." Raven thanked sarcastically.  
  
"Haha, didn't know it was going to be a chicken," he smiled.  
  
"Yeah, Beastboy won me one too," Raven said without another glance up at Robin.  
  
"Beastboy? When?" Robin's jealousy grew within him.  
  
"Yes Beastboy. When you were protecting your-oh-so-beautiful Alien princess from her sister, remember?"  
  
"Right." He mumbled jealously.  
  
"So where is she?"  
  
"I asked her if I could talk to you..." he trailed off.  
  
"And she let you?"  
  
"Just for a little bit."  
  
"I see," Raven shrugged and began to walk away with her chicken. Without a thought, Robin pulled on her arm and the thing she wanted to hear the most came tumbling out of his mouth.  
  
"Er—Raven!"  
  
"What?" she turned around hiding her blush.  
  
"Would you—Um... Since Starfire let me... Would you--?"  
  
"Would I what?" a grin began to form on the inside. Was he going to ask her out? She hoped so although she wouldn't admit it to anyone.  
  
"Do you want to go on a Ferris wheel or something with me?" Robin asked scratching the back of his neck. Ok, well that wasn't what Raven really wanted to hear but close enough.  
  
"Whatever," she grumbled.  
  
"Alright!" Robin smiled. He took her arm and dragged her to the ride. As they went in, they were silent. Robin had to bring up something. "So... how's the view on your side?"  
  
"Good." She said, just staring at her fingers.  
  
"Oh- Um.. About Starfire and I... I just wanted to let you know," he stammered. Raven looked at him as they sat next to each other.  
  
"You guys love each other more than ever, knowing that you didn't lose her to-"  
  
"Not that, but even if we are going out," Robin began. "Starfire said to me, while you were on the roller coaster, that if I didn't want to be with her, then it's alright to love you."  
  
"That's mature of her."  
  
"Yea, it is," Robin said. Silence over powered them.  
  
"So what's your point?" Raven asked.  
  
"Just wanted to know-"  
  
"I won't go out with you," Raven assured.  
  
"OK.. Just asking," Robin said, not staring into her eyes.  
  
"I can't believe you asked," she said.  
  
'I can't believe you declined,' Robin thought.  
  
"Well just wanted to know," he said.  
  
"It's not that I don't love you," she started blushing.  
  
"Oh," Robin blurted out. He scratched the back of his head nervously, "Heheh."  
  
"I don't think I can handle being in a relationship right now," Raven told him.  
  
"Then tell me when you're ready," Robin grinned. "I'll be waiting for you."  
  
"Huh?" she became silent and she looked down. Suddenly, the ride ended and Starfire flew up to Robin as they got off.  
  
"What has happened?" Starfire cocked her head to the side and hoped for a wonderful answer.  
  
"She- we're staying together," Robin forced a smile onto his face.  
  
Without being rude, Starfire threw herself onto him and smiled. Beastboy and Cyborg came out of the arcade with Cyborg having a smug look on his face as Beastboy frowned.  
  
"What happened?" Robin asked.  
  
"He-" Beastboy began.  
  
"I BEAT HIM AT DDR!" Cyborg laughed. "YEAH!"  
  
"Why did he beat me at that game!?"  
  
"I don't know," Raven said, as they decided to go home.  
  
"I- He... I can't believe it! I beat him every other game and he beat me at the game I'm best at!?" he whined.  
  
"Hey, don't take it so hard. I just have undiscovered talent!" Cyborg grinned.  
  
"Yeah, who knew chrome-man, can dance," Beastboy insulted him.  
  
"Chrome man?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"Yeah, you heard me, Robot wannabe," Beastboy stuck out a tongue and unfortunately for him, Cyborg caught it.  
  
"I'm a cyborg not a robot," Cyborg glared and for the rest of the ride home, they ignored each other.  
  
"Friend Raven?" Starfire scooted over to Raven on the ferry ride back.  
  
"Yea?" Raven asked.  
  
"I must ask-" Starfire was interrupted.  
  
"'Why I don't want to go out with Robin?' Is that what you were going to ask?" Raven questioned her as she squeezed her chicken.  
  
"Yes," Starfire asked. "May I have an answer?"  
  
"Because," Raven started to explain, "I see that you love him more. It's not like I do, anyway." She couldn't tell Starfire this. She would feel guilty for once. Starfire was only one who befriended her when she first arrive don the planet.  
  
"But Raven," Starfire said, "Is it a lie you are telling? Perhaps you do not want to hurt my feelings? Please, I will not get angry with you. Please tell me the truth." Her eyes were pleading for an answer.  
  
"Um," she didn't know what to say, "I guess I could love him."  
  
"Oh," Starfire frowned.  
  
"I said, could. Doesn't mean I do," Raven raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know anyway?"  
  
"Hehe- I would just like to announce that," Starfire said, "if you do love Robin, that you may and that you shall be together if you do. I have discovered that Robin does already. But somehow, it only hurts a little. Raven, you are my friend as well. I do not want to hurt you by being with him."  
  
"So?" Raven asked.  
  
"I allow you to love him!" Starfire giggled. "You are my best friend, Raven. Do as you may please."  
  
Raven, taken surprised, blushed at the thought of being with Robin.  
  
"Fine," Raven told her, "I'll tell you the truth."  
  
"Huh?" Starfire was confused.  
  
"I would be with him, but I-" she tried to tell her but...  
  
"You may tell me," Starfire insisted.  
  
"I can't control my emotions, so I'm not ready. You could stay with him," Raven confessed. Starfire smiled.  
  
"Thank you," she showed gratitude. After their talk, Starfire glided back to Robin.  
  
'Today was a very long day,' Raven said, slouching in her seat. When they got back Raven headed to her room but saw Robin had gotten there before her.  
  
"What did you say to Starfire?" Robin asked. Raven shrugged.  
  
"Nothing," she said. "Move. Now. I have to meditate." She pushed past him and went back into her room. Robin hung his head in defeat and walked away.  
  
Inside her room, Raven sat in her bathtub and soaked herself, trying to get all her emotions washed away. She threw her head back and let it rest on the edge. Raven sighed and closed her eyes, but at the same time she had ot lock all the emotions she had inside the depths of her heart.  
  
AN** SORRY IF THAT WASN'T LONG ENOUGH!!! SORRY!!!! THANKS FOR READING!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! 


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